GHMC Saves Edlavanikunta Tank from Encroachers, Serilingampally Lakes on Radar
Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), bidding to save the 5.3-acre full tank level of the Edlavanikunta waterbody in Gopanpally, cracked down on encroachers by following due processes in courts and taking the help of police and senior IAS officials.
Notices were served to two persons, identified as Prakash and Raju, who were trying to encroach government properties, the GHMC said in a release.
The GHMC officials said that during fencing work on Monday, two title deed holders objected to it, but the GHMC continued its work, saying that “pattadars of shikam (buffer zone of waterbody) land do not have rights over the FTL of a lake or waterbody”.
A GHMC official said: “We will complete the fencing, build a bund and take up the restoration works. We also have court orders to take up restoration of the tank.”
People were also caught dumping boulders into the water body, with GHMC lodging a police complaint against them. “The encroachers want to fill the FTL of the tank with boulders and raise structures on it,” a GHMC official said.
“The ones who tried to stop the lake restoration works are pattadars (title deed holders) of the shikam land. As per norms, owners of shikam lands do not have right over the FTL of lake/waterbody. The pattadars approached court to stop the restoration works, but in vain,” the GHMC official said.
“Gangaram Pedda Cheruvu and Gopi Cheruvu in Serilingampally are the other lakes where fencing and other restoration works will be taken up with the help of companies, who are showing interest to fence them, build walking track and restore them as a part of corporate social responsibility (CSR),” the GHMC official said.