GO 111 curbing buildings in catchments area scrapped

Hyderabad: The state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao here on Thursday decided to fully scrap GO 111 that so far prohibited construction activity vis-à-vis setting of industries, residential colonies, etc in 84 villages that fall in the catchment area of the Osman-sagar and Himayatsagar lakes up to a radius of 10 km.

As per a decision taken by the Cabinet, all the existing rules that are applicable in villages under HMDA limits to take up construction activity will, however, be applicable to these 84 villages.

Although the state government issued GO 69 in April 2022 scrapping the GO 111 restrictions, there were no guidelines on what steps the government will take to save the twin lakes from pollution after lifting the GO 111 restrictions.

Finance minister Harish Rao said, “There has been a long-pending demand from the people of 84 villages to cancel GO 111 since it was obstructing the development of their villages. While all the villages surrounding Hyderabad developed a lot, these 84 villages lagged behind with no construction activity due to the GO 111 restrictions.”  

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had promised to lift GO 111 restrictions earlier and he fulfilled his promise today by seeking and getting the Cabinet approval for the same, Harish Rao said.

Explaining the measures for protection of the twin lakes following the lifting of GO 111, Harish Rao said, “The Cabinet has decided to set up STPs (sewerage treatment plants) and ring main units to prevent pollution of water in the twin reservoirs. These lakes will be filled with Kaleshwaram water by diverting water from the Kondapochamma Sagar projects. Along with these twin lakes, Musi will also be filled with Kaleshwaram water as part of the efforts to cleanse the Musi.”

Harish Rao said GO 111 has become 'redundant' as Hyderabad no longer depends on these twin lakes for drinking water and abundant water is available in the city due to supply of drinking water from Godavari, Krishna and Manjeera. “That's the reason why the government decided to scrap it to pave way for development of these 84 villages on par with other villages surrounding Hyderabad.”

GO 111 was applicable to 1.32 lakh acres of land in 84 villages in seven mandals. These comprise six mandals in undivided Rangareddy district and one village in Kothur mandal in Mahbubnagar district close to Hyderabad. The six mandals include Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, Moinabad, Chevella, Shabad, Shankarpally.

The 84 villages fall under the 10-km catchment area of Osmansagar and HimayatSagar.

Notably, the  erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government issued GO 111 in 1996 restricting major constructions and industrial activity in a 10-km radius of the full tank level of the two reservoirs — Himayatsagar and Osmansagar — that have been key sources of drinking water to the city for decades and have also been an essential part of flood control, among other environmental factors.

With an intention to protect the reservoirs, the GO 111 created a buffer zone to avoid any kind of polluting activity in the catchment areas — from industrial, commercial to heavy residential constructions in the lake area.

After the state government released GO 69 in April last year, lifting GO 111 restrictions, a PIL was filed in the Telangana High Court challenging the government's decision. In September 2022, the state government assured the High Court that the GO 111 restrictions will remain intact till a committee of bureaucrats appointed by it furnishes its report on measures that should be taken to prevent the lakes from pollution.

While releasing GO 69 in April 2022, lifting GO 111 restrictions, the state government formed a committee headed by chief secretary to frame guidelines and detailed regulations to protect the lakes from pollution. The committee had MAUD special chief secretary, finance special chief secretary, irrigation special chief secretary, HMWSSB managing director, TSPCB member secretary and HMDA director as members.

It is learnt that the committee has submitted its report framing guidelines to protect the lakes based on which the cabinet took a decision to lift GO 111 restrictions totally on Thursday.