HYDERABAD: It has only been a month since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) gave directions to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) to build a lake in compensation for the encroachments in Lingamkunta lake in Chandanagar for the construction of a Sewage Treatment Plant. However, a similar tale seems to be replaying in Nizampet where citizens allege that the Water Board is destroying their lake. The case is of Achari Kunta, where the citizens have alleged that the HMWS&SB, without requisite permissions, has begun digging an illegal road inside the lake’s Full Tank Level limits to lay a pipeline. The works have been ongoing since September 24 and are on the verge of getting completed.
“This lake has about two-three court cases going on with regard to encroachment. While they claim it is on the road beside the lake, documents suggest that road itself is illegal and inside the FTL,” said Raghu Rama Rao, founder of Parahari Trust, which is working on the beautification of the lake.The citizens have submitted a representation to concerned authorities. Sources say that the HMWS&SB didn’t take the requisite permissions from the Irrigation Department, under whom the lake is enlisted for safeguard.
“Until Friday, we didn’t get any letter seeking permission to lay the pipeline. On Friday, the work was stopped after it came to our notice and the HMWS&SB has now sought our permission. The same is under consideration and a decision will be taken,” said an official from the Irrigation Department. The lake has seen an enthusiastic effort by nearby colonies for conservation with another end of the lake being developed. “The road is illegal as per our knowledge and leads to a school.
The water pipeline being laid is also to the school itself. What we can’t understand is that despite there being an alternative route via Siri Colony why the Water Board has to waste public money and lay it through an illegal encroachment,” added Raghu.