Builders fill freshwater Mundikunta lake with rubble, construction waste

Hyderabad: Mundikunta lake, which was once a freshwater lake, is now clogged with trash such as plastic bags, concrete, rubble, construction waste, and other filth.

The reason: waste and rubbish and debris from three ongoing building
projects in Hitec City are being dumped into the lake under the guise of
development activity.

Residents have tried in vain to inform the local MLA and the GHMC officials
about the problem. However, the residents’ appeal seems to have been
disregarded by the authorities as new projects at the site have been
approved.

“Since there was no STP or municipal regulation pushed onto the
builders when our complex was built, all sewage water goes into the lake and
causes surrounding drains to overflow. There is no proper outlet for the
sewage. Rather, it opens into the rainwater drain in front of our
buildings,” said Mani Rao, a resident of Meenakshi Township in Hitec City.

She also stated that a road was recently laid from the masjid area to
connect to the Kondapur side, dividing the lake in two, whereas Nalini V,
deputy executive engineer, irrigation department (lake division), stated
that the road was always there and that a recent 'jungle clearance' drive
revealed the road beneath.

Residents claim that builders and construction workers have been offloading
the bund and concrete rubble overnight, which they believe has been
“approved and facilitated” by the agriculture department AE, revenue
department, and the local politician's henchmen, including the local ward
member. "There have been over 10-15 meetings with various authorities. The
MLA is aware of the situation here. Several submissions were made. We
collected funds for the cause, but it was in vain,” Mani Rao stated.

Some options proposed include laying a pipeline at the lake's bottom to
drain the water onto the other side. "We're working on putting cameras to
help monitor miscreants engaging in such activities," Nalini said, adding
that work on the sewerage diversion is underway and that the agency will
complete the work within 15 days.

Dr Subba Rao, an environmentalist, stated that attempts to prevent
encroachments in and around the lake began in 2012 and again in 2015, when
former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, held a meeting with residents who
claim “he visited the area, made rosy promises but vanished”.