Lake protection committees to be formed to prevent encroachments on water bodies in GHMC limits

A view of Bam Rukn Ud-Dowlah, a Nizam-era reservoir in Rajendranagar mandal in Hyderabad which is facing the threat of extinction owing to rampant encroachment. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Lake protection committees comprising denizens living in the proximity of the respective lakes are being constituted in order to prevent encroachment, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) said on the occasion of World Water Day.

Zonal Commissioners have been tasked with the constitution of such committees, which have already been formed in some locations. Constant vigil and reporting about any encroachments are the objectives of such committees which will be monitored by Assistant Engineer-level officials of the respective divisions, sources informed.

Commissioner D. Ronald Rose has issued instructions to the civic body’s Information Technology (IT) wing for designing a mobile app, where the status of the lakes can be updated regularly by officials after field inspections.

Addressing a meeting in this regard on Friday, Mr. Rose asked officials to display maps demarcating the full tank level (FTL) and buffer zone boundaries, at all the lakes. Awareness on lake protection should be spread in social media groups through the lake protection committees, he said, directing the officials concerned to take foolproof measures to protect water bodies in the city from encroachments.

He sought estimate proposals from the Zonal Commissioners within a fortnight towards fencing, walking tracks, sewage diversion, installation of CCTV cameras, streetlighting, and security guards near all the lakes.

He asked the Zonal Commissioners to inspect each individual lake and review the status. Those dumping construction debris in the water bodies should be identified and reported to the Enforcement, Vigilance & Disaster Management wing, and a criminal case should also be lodged against them, he said.

Notices should be served immediately on unauthorised construction activity within the FTL and buffer zones of lakes, and action should be taken, he said.

Zonal Commissioners Hemant Bhorkhade, Sneha Shabarish, Abhilasha Abhinav, Ravi Kiran, Venkanna, and Mukunda Reddy, Additional Commissioners Sivakumar Naidu and Sunanda, Director, EV&DM Prakash Reddy, and Chief Engineer (Projects & Lakes) Devanand participated in the meeting.