HYDERABAD: If it were not for the buzzing, biting and breeding frenzy, Ibrahimbagh Lake could easily be mistaken for a mosquito theme park. The once-majestic Pedda Cheruvu, now a hyacinth-choked, insect-infested puddle, shows that crores of rupees spent on restoration have done little to ensure proper upkeep.
“As much as Rs 22 crore was sanctioned by the then KCR government for lake restoration. Some work took place in 2018, like sewage diversion and creation of box drains, but since then, no proper maintenance has been done,” said environmentalist Madhulika Chaudhary to TNIE.
She explained that initial restoration efforts were about as enduring as a puddle in the summer sun. “After the sewage diversion, hyacinth started spreading again, and later, sewage was re-diverted into the lake. There’s no proper maintenance or treatment, and encroachments continued unchecked. The inlet nala, once 100 metres wide, is now barely five metres,” she added.
Locals attest to the mosquito madness, describing the population explosion across Manikonda and Neknampur. Shaik Aarif Mohammed, activist and general secretary of Citizens Council, said: “There is no summer or winter. Mosquitoes are a constant menace in Manikonda. Every season, the problem is the same. Despite multiple reminders to the authorities concerned, nothing changes.”
The municipality has been manually removing hyacinth since 2018, a heroic effort that seems to reset itself every few days. “During removal, water gets deposited on the bund, and you can literally see thousands of mosquitoes over just a small patch of water. Imagine how many are breeding in the entire lake,” added Shaik Aarif.
Madhulika Chaudhary summed up the underlying tragedy: “If a lake is in bad condition, it reflects the same neglect in the community and the administration. Restoration isn’t a one-time effort; it requires maintenance, community participation and accountability.”
Meanwhile, a senior GHMC official said that only modern machinery can save the day.
“We tried to clean the lake through various methods. Our team has been on this for 20 days, and it will at least take another 20 days to clear the hyacinth,” the official added.
