Water mafia target lakes as hotspots for illegal borewells
Photograph for representational purposes only. (Photo: DC)
Hyderabad: With the monsoon recording 35 per cent deficient rainfall and ground water levels reaching new lows in and around the city, the state ground water department has predicted drought like conditions in the coming months following rampant use of ground water.
Meanwhile illegal water business groups or the ‘water mafia’, which thrive on ground water, have come up with a foolproof idea of drilling borewells near lakes.
While borewells drilled for domestic purposes beyond 1000 feet are not yielding results, these groups are drilling borewells within the FTL (full tank level) of water bodies which are the main recharge points for the water table.
A high capacity borewell, which was drilled within the FTL level of Parki Lake under the Quthbullapur mandal limits, was seized by Revenue officials on Monday.
Deputy collector of Quthbullapur mandal, Mr Krishna, said, “A borewell drilling machine, belonging to one Guru Prasad, was seized as they were drilling near Parki Lake, which is illegal under WALTA. The Jeedimetla police has booked a case under the Act.”
However, activists say that this is just one case of “water mafia” which has come to light and the illegal business of borewells is being run by local politicians in collusion with officials.
“The cases are taken up by the officials only when we lodge a complaint. Otherwise, how it is it possible for borewells to come up near Ameenpur lake, Patancheru, Gangaram Cheruvu near Aparna Venture, Devunu Kunta in Gopannapally village on the city’s outskirt and Saroor Nagar Lake?” asked Thakur Rajkumar Singh, president of Human Rights and Consumers Protection Cell.
He added, “The water mafia has been renting houses close to lakes and digging borewells after the government started monitoring them. They run mineral water plants inside these houses illegally. It’s been hard to beat this vicious circle as the mafia has grown bigger than the HMWS&SB (city water board) in turnover and in muscle power.”
B. Srinivas, a resident of Shapur Nagar near Parki Lake said, “Taking advantage of lethargic laws, illegal bottled-water plants have also come up on the periphery of the lake. Seeing such (illegal) success stories, more players are likely to take the plunge in the packaged-water business. I have tried to get information about the people involved in the activities.”
Jasveen Jairath, member Save Our Urban Lake (SOUL), said, “Digging of borewells for commercial purposes has been rampant because of water scarcity. Water bodies have been the main targets because investments are low and profits are high.”
Though revenue officials have stopped issuing drilling permits, over 150 illegal borewells have come up in Hitec City and adjoining area in the last six months.
Residential areas within Serilingampally mandal, Madhapur, Konda-pur, Gachibowli, Miya-pur etc. are replete with these illegal borewells. Despite being drilled on government land, officials have not taken any action.
This has resulted in rapid depletion of ground water causing the drying up of domestic borewells. These groups supply water to industries, mineral water pla-nts and also apartments at exorbitant rates.
“We have stopped issuing permissions for borewells. Those operating them are doing so by flouting norms,” an official with Serilingampally revenue office said.
( Source : dc )
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