Hyderabad High Court to wait for NGT order over construction around lakes

Hyderabad: The High Court on July 19 said it would wait for the report ordered by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) before taking any decision on status of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar, and GO 111 which bars construction activity around the lakes.

The NGT had asked the government to submit a report on ways to protect the lakes, and the government constituted a committee in December 2016.

It was asked to study the alternative uses the lakes could be put to.

The NGT order came on a petition filed by activist Thakur Raj Kumar Singh after he had surveyed the catchment area and found that the inflow of water was hindered by illegal constructions and encroachments and development in the area in violation of GO 111.

Even earlier, petitions were filed in the High Court against GO 111 violations.

Environmentalist Jeevanand Reddy had filed a petition in 2007 against pollution caused by the industries, major hotels and the residential colonies. The court in 2010 ordered the constitution of a regulatory body to protect the lakes. Mr Reddy said the regulatory body was not doing the job.