Lakes rapidly deteriorating, GHMC abandons them

HYDERABAD: Lakes in the city are rapidly declining and deteriorating faster than expected, but unfortunately the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the agency in charge of maintaining them, appears to have abandoned them.

While the GHMC began the process of restoring lakes, which includes fencing, silt removal, sewerage diversion, and walkway development, the work has either been halted or is moving at a snail's pace. Of the 185 lakes left in the city, many are already filled with sewage and silt. Several of them have received insufficient attention and care.

Under the Telangana government’s Mission Kakatiya - Phase IV, the GHMC had set a target to restore 63 lakes in the city that were in serious disuse. The government had sanctioned Rs.282.63 crore funds for the restoration of the lakes. After four long years, the corporation could only restore nine lakes, while it could complete fencing and walking tracks around 47 of the 63 lakes. Only three of the 185 lakes underwent sewage diversion as part of the lakes’ restoration project. Worse, the civic body made no progress in 14 water bodies adopted by corporations under corporate social responsibility (CSR).

According to GHMC data, the civic body decided to restore 19 lakes in 2018, of which the corporation has completed eight lakes to the tune of Rs 167 crore and transferred the restoration works of two lakes to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). Surprisingly, the corporation claimed in the same report that it had made 58% physical progress but had yet to develop nine water bodies. Overall, the corporation has made 58% physical progress, amounting to Rs 166.28 crore out of a total of Rs 282.63 crore sanctioned. The corporation claimed to have developed 47 lakes out of 63, including lake fencing and civil works such as wall track, bund strengthening, landscaping/plantation, and illumination works. It stated that the development of 16 lakes has been halted due to legal issues.

Further, the civic body has decided to take up restoration works that includes sluice, bund strengthening, fencing, and sewage from entering the city's water bodies. However, the corporation has only completed works in only three lakes and has yet to solicit bids for restoration of 18 lakes. Authorities have stated that work on 110 lakes is currently underway, with three lakes awaiting technical approval. Various corporations have adopted 14 lakes as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts (CSR).

When asked about the progress of restoration works, GHMC officials refused to comment, merely stating that they had recently sanctioned 25 lakes for development under CSR. When asked about the number of lake-related projects undertaken in the last four years, and why work ceased in the middle and was resumed under a different name, the GHMC official refused to comment, claiming that he was not working in the lakes wing four years ago.

185 total number of lakes under GHMC jurisdiction.

15 lakes located in ICRISAT, ISB, Central University, Cantonment Area and maintained by these organisations.

Restoration works under Mission Kakatiya - Phase IV

19 lakes

Rs.282.63 crore funds sanctioned

Status of restoration works

2 lakes transferred to HMDA

8 works completed or nearing completion

9 lakes still under progress since 2018

58% works completed

Rs 166.88 crore funds spent on restoration works

Lakes development and beautification

(Development and beautification works include fencing, civil works such as wall track, bund strengthening, landscaping/plantation, and illumination works)

63 lakes received sanction for development works

47 lakes completed

16 lakes remaining. Works halted due to legal and other local Issues

Rs.94.17 crore sanctioned amount

Sewage diversion and restoration of lakes

134 lakes

3 completed

110 work in progress

18 tenders’ stage

3 technical sanction stage

Rs. 133.7 crore sanctioned for sewage diversion and restoration of weir, sluice, bund strengthening and fencing.

Lakes development under CSR

14 lakes adopted by corporates

25 lakes recently sanctioned for development

No data with GHMC about the progress of lakes development under CSR