HYDERABAD: The fact-finding committee appointed by Congress to assess the implications of revoking GO 111, which restricts construction activity in the catchment area of Hyderabad lakes, has submitted its report. The panel suggests that 84 villages be declared as agricultural zone, restricting land usage solely for agricultural purposes. The primary objective behind this recommendation is to safeguard the vital water bodies of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.
The committee, heads led by senior Congress leader Kodanda Reddy and activist Lubna Sarwath, sheds light on issues like contamination and other potential threats to water bodies, the lifeline of the twin cities.
According to their findings, approximately 75 to 80 per cent of the 30,000 acres of assigned lands have been transferred to affluent sections of society, including political leaders and film personalities. They highlighted that only a mere 20 per cent of the land remains in the hands of actual cultivators.
During their investigation, the committee interacted with farmers from the 84 villages affected by GO 111. Surprisingly, they discovered that nearly 40 per cent of the farmers expressed that they had no vested interest in the continuation or revocation of GO 111, while about 50 per cent of the farmers advocated for the lifting of GO 111, citing the potential increase in the land prices as a primary concern for their families future.
In light of these findings, the committee’s recommendation to declare the 84 villages as an agricultural zone comes as an attempt to address the pressing issue of water body conservation while also ensuring that land resources are used for agricultural purposes even after the exchange of ownership.