Telangana: BRS Wasted Drinking Water to Save Rich and Powerful

Hyderabad: The previous BRS government exerted pressure on the water board to release water from Osmansagar and the Himayatsagar into the Musi river before they reached full capacity, to save villas and farmhouses of highly influential persons built in the area covered by the lake-protection GO 111 from flooding.

Whenever the backwaters of the two reservoirs seeped into farmhouses, roads, including the Outer Ring Road (ORR) service road, the HMWS&SB used to lifted the gates of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.

Areas such as Nagireddyguda, Aziznagar, Miyakhangadda, Janwada, Shankarpally Main Road and Khanapur are just a few of the many areas where farmhouses and other establishments have sprung up.

Residents in villages affected by GO 111 restrictions expressed concern over extensive construction that has drastically reduced the holding capacity of the twin reservoirs, leaving them in fear whenever there are significant inflows.

"Due to the construction, we are now at the mercy of the HMWS&SB. If they don’t lift the gates, our shops and houses will get flooded," said V. Srisailam, a resident of Janwada.

He added that the craze for a view of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar from properties has spoiled the natural beauty of the area, with dozens of structures being built in recent years.

Farmers also complained that water has begun entering their fields.

"Since these VIPs built big houses, water has started flooding our roads, fields, and homes. But once it began affecting their properties and connecting roads, the gates were lifted, and water was released," said M. Manikanta, a farmer from Nagi Reddy Guda.

The full tank level (FTL) of Osmansagar is 1,790 feet. Typically, the gates are lifted when the water level ranges between 1,786 and 1,790 feet. When the water level crosses 1,785 feet, HMWS&SB officials are put on alert.

However, there have been instances where the gates were opened when the water level was as low as 1,784 feet. HMWS&SB officials used to open just one gate by one to two feet, then open another gate by a similar amount to release water.

Similarly, the full tank level (FTL) of Himayatsagar is 1,763.50 feet, and gates are generally opened when the level ranges from 1,761 to 1,763 feet. There have been instances where the water level touched 1,760 feet and the gates were lifted.

According to the villagers, the practice of opening the gates only began when the farmhouses of influential individuals were at risk. In addition to farmhouses, villas, apartments, standalone houses, commercial establishments including hotels, resorts, convention centres, a few schools, and other structures have mushroomed in the areas affected by GO 111. Several politicians, including top BRS leaders and a few bureaucrats, also own farm houses here.

“We used to receive orders from our senior officials to lift the gates. The VVIPs would directly call senior officials in the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department,” said an HMWS&SB official.