Greens Urge Rethink Of Bhadrakali Lake Island Plan Amid Shrinkage Fears
Chikati Raju urged the government to halt or revise its beautification plans.
WARANGAL: Activists and representatives from various organisations are urging the state government to reconsider its plan to develop new islands as part of the Bhadrakali Lake beautification project.
They warn that the proposed islands will shrink the lake’s surface area, which has already been reduced by the construction of the Bhadrakali bund, Hunter Road, Padmakshi Gutta, Pothana Road, and NTR Nagar.
Chikati Raju, convener of the Kakatiya Varasatva Sampadha Protection Committee, told the Deccan Chronicle that creating islands will further threaten Bhadrakali Lake, an integral component of the Kakatiya-era network of lakes, especially since opportunistic encroachments have already claimed a significant portion of its shores.
He cautioned that establishing new islands, bird habitats, and the surrounding Mada Veedulu streets could reduce the lake’s area by 30-40 acres and exacerbate flooding during the rainy season, posing risks to numerous neighbourhoods around the lake. Over the past 15 years, about 20 colonies have been repeatedly submerged by floodwaters from the Bondhi Vagu stream. With the lake shrinking, the threat of seasonal inundation will only grow, he said.
Chikati Raju urged the government to halt or revise its beautification plans. In response, Kuda chairman Enagala Venkatram Reddy told the Deccan Chronicle that no proposal exists to reduce the lake’s area and that its water storage capacity will actually increase once desilting is complete.
He explained that existing rocky formations and mud hillocks in the lake’s center will be reshaped into nine islands, named for the Navagrahas, and reinforced with attractive landscaping. Saplings will be planted to attract birds, and food stalls and boating facilities will be added. The Mada Veedulu streets, bunds, and a planned cable-car system will further enhance the project, while the historic Sri Bhadrakali Temple will be upgraded as a premier tourist and spiritual destination in South India.
