Ban orders near Pedda Cheruvu under Section 144

Hyderabad: Rachakonda police imposed ban orders in the area around Pedda Cheruvu lake in Jalpally village. Police also wrote to revenue and irrigation department officials to take all safety measures possible at the lake to prevent people from entering it. After many incidents of people drowning, the police has started acting tough on people who enter the lake. Since January, three youths have drowned in the lake and five people had a narrow escape.

Police clamped ban orders around the lake under Section 144. Safety at the five-century old lake spread across 300 acres in Jalpally village has become a concern for officials. On Thursday Vanasthalipuram ACP V. Ravinder Reddy conducted a review meeting on measures to be taken to prevent people from entering the lake. In addition to the already existing warning boards near the lake, police have decided to set up new boards with details of the ban orders and dangers facing swimmers.

“Despite intense patrolling people are still coming to the lake. In the last two days we stopped four boys who came to swim. To strengthen safety at the lake we have written to the tehsildar of Balapur, the Jalpally municipal commissioner and the deputy executive engineer of Ibrahimpa-tnam irrigation department to ensure safety at the lake,” the ACP said. On Tuesday a 20-year-old phone technician from Chandrayanagutta drowned in the lake. A week ago, police caught 23 people who were swimming in the lake and counselled them.