Hyderabad: Big names drowning' lakes with constructions

Hyderabad: A joint inspection of three lakes in Tellapur by various departments of the TS government led by HMDA has officially confirmed what was long known: Multi storey buildings and other structures have been built by companies in the full tank level and buffer zones of lakes. Bar and restaurants, apartments and compound walls of big construction companies like Alien Developers have come up on lake land, according to a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal by the HMDA, revenue and panchayat departments.

The NGT had ordered inspection of the three lakes —  Vanam Cheruvu, Mella Cheruvu and Chelikunta — on a petition filed in 2016 by Mr Thakur Rajkumar Singh of the Human Rights and Consumer Protection Cell Trust. HMDA officials inspected the three lakes from January 30 to February 2. Most of these companies had obtained NoCs from the irrigation department and clearances from revenue department and permission from panchayat raj and HMDA.

The inspection report, a copy of which is available with this newspaper, opens the Pandora’s box on how no-objection certificates and permissions were given to these structures. HMDA commissioner T. Chiranjeevulu said, “We have to look into how the irrigation department issued NoCs to these builders. The joint inspection showed that there are constructions in the lakes and nalas. We are to yet to fix final boundaries of the lakes, which will be done after calling for objections. After the final notification of lake boundaries, we can arrive at a conclusion regarding the encroachments.”

The HMDA said in its report, “Regarding three lakes of Tellapur the preliminary notification for FTL declaration has not been issued as the revenue department has not done boundary demarcation and the irrigation department is yet to submit FTL certification to the Lake Protection Committee of the HMDA in spite of correspondence.”