HYDERABAD: Yellamma Cheruvu (lake) near Kukatpally has been in the spotlight for close to a decade now due to encroachment. There have been umpteen number of complaints made to the government. However, encroachment of lake and blocking of its natural drainage channels continue to this day without fear of law.
On Saturday, the Minister for IT, MA&UD, KT Rama Rao had directed senior officials from MA&UD department and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to take action against encroachment of the lake, after receiving a complaint about it on twitter.
While the quick response by the minister can be appreciated, what action can one expect when the lake is being encroached by the government itself?
When Express visited the lake on Sunday, it observed that it is none other than the GHMC which is encroaching part of the lake’s area by constructing walkway inside the Yellamma cheruvu’s Full Tank Level (FTL), as part of beautification project of the lake.
Speaking to members of Jayanagar Colony Welfare Association (JCWA) revealed that when they had approached the Hyderabad High Court on the issue in 2011, the HC had clearly ordered that no part of the lake should be filled by government or private agencies.
The court order said, “The respondents are directed to ensure that no portion of the existing tank, namely Yellammacheruvu, Kukatpally village, Ranga Reddy district, is filled either by the private individuals or by any agencies of the government.” The respondents in the case included the principal secretary of MA&UD department, commissioner of HMDA, commissioner of GHMC, zonal commissioner of West Zone, Ranga Reddy district collector, Balanagar mandal tehsildar and deputy collector, Cyberabad Commissioner of Police, Kukatpally police inspector, Irrigation department, North Tanks division, Executive Engineer, and the only private respondent Ramky Estates and Farm.
Moreover, when the JCWA approached High Court again in 2013 citing contempt of the 2011 court order, the High Court had ordered erecting fencing, demarcating the lake’s FTL. The present walkway being constructed by GHMC falls inside this fence.
Speaking to Express, JCWA Joint Secretary Krishna Rao said, “GHMC cannot occupy the lake’s land for constructing walkway, park or whatever it wants to develop in the name of protecting the lake, that too in spite of a High Court order being in force which clearly prohibited such activity. Beautification activities need to be undertaken outside FTL area of the lake.”
Lake’s fencing dislodged
There seems to be no fear of law among private realtors. Express observed that the fence marking FTL boundary of the lake was dislodged at some places for laying a sewerage pipeline from the nearby residential community developed by a private realtor firm. Despite repeated attempts, Express could not get response from Kukatpally Zonal Commissioner, J Shankaraiah and some officials of the realtor firm