Protect water bodies from illegal encroachment: H'bad HC to Telangana govt

Hyderabad: Expressing concern over the illegal encroachment of water tanks and lakes in and around the city, the Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday directed state government to file an affidavit explaining the steps it had taken to protect them.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice A. Shankar Narayana was dealing with separate petitions filed by Mr E. Anjaiah Goud and others regarding the Pedda Cheruvu in Ranga Reddy district and Mr Gaffar Ali about Talla Cheruvu in Medak district.

When the bench took up the two pleas, TS government counsel C.V. Bhaskar Reddy said that the bench had ordered the marking of full tank levels of water bodies in the city. The task had been entrusted to Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. He urged the court to extend time for completing the work, which the court had set at December 30.

The bench said Hyderabad once had 7,000 lakes. Its roads and streets were washed daily. Not even 70 lakes are visible today, the judges said.

Justice Ranganathan, recalling that Hyderabad was known as the City of Lakes before 1950, said, “Now there is no water to drink. Masab Tank which is one of the busiest areas of the city was once a tank.”