Activists wary of Hussainsagar lake panel’s delay

Hyderabad: The National Green Tribunal is defeating its own purpose by delaying  the hearing on Hussainsagar dewatering. The body was constituted under  Article 21 for speedy disposal of environment cases under the Right to  Live. However, instead of addressing the issue quickly, the body has  postponed the hearing to July 10.

While a committee, comprising two experts, has been constituted, there  is no sign of an inspection. The next step would be to approach the   Supreme Court, warned city-based group SOUL, which had filed a  petition with the NGT.

Professor K. Purushotham Reddy, former head of department of political  science, OU, and founder member of SOUL, said, “The date of the committee’s inspection has not been announced. The body was created to  expedite environmental cases; the very fact that the next hearing is  on July 10 shows that it is violating its own purpose. If NGT does not speed up the  case, we will approach the Supreme Court.”

“As the hearing on Hussainsagar is scheduled before the High Court of  Hyderabad on June 4, we request the committee constituted by the NGT  to submit the report expeditiously before that date,” added the members.

“Meanwhile, 30 per cent of water from Hussainsagar has been flushed  out. The state government, in its petition, has submitted an incorrect report to the High Court. In the name of repairing sluices, the  government has dewatered the tank by damaging its 12 weirs. The agencies have take up construction on the lake-bed by deepening the  weirs, violating a Supreme Court order. Hyderabad’s largest flood  regulating reservoir’s lake spread has decreased,” added the members  who filed the petition with NGT.“

The government has systematically deepened the weirs to 5 feet at  different places. The state government had submitted a report stating  regular repair of sluices. It admitted that some water had to be drained out. But the issue here is that no repair has been taken up of  the sluices, and the state has deepened the weir to flush out water. The TS Chief Minister has claimed one and half feet water has been diverted, however, 30 per cent is lost. It is similar to the sea–reclamation done in Mumbai,” said Lubna Sarwath.