Flood disaster: Lake encroachers face heat in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Police have started primary investigations against those who encroached land of at least two lakes in Rangareddy. The probe started after district officials gave a complaint asking for criminal action against the illegal construction.
According to a complaint, encroachers on Palle Cheruvu in Mailardevpally and Appa Chervu in Shamshabad have damaged the lake bunds.In the two recent incidents of lake breaches here, 10 people got swept away in floods apart from leaving thousands without food, water and power.
In the past couple of years, houses have been built on 15 acres of Palle Cheruvu’s FTL and buffer zone. The land is between Katedan and Chandrayangutta. Officials told TOI that several colonies got inundated in the surrounding areas as the lake reclaimed lost ground in downpour.
Documents with TOI show that Rangareddy revenue authorities and irrigation department had jointly inspected the lakes on July 30, following a public interest litigation in the Telangana HC, filed by an NGO. The plea alleged that debris had been dumped here to develop layouts.
A part of Palle Cheruvu falls (survey number 95 and 120 of Mailardevpally) in Rangareddy and the rest in Hyderabad (Bandlaguda). The inspection concluded that the lake bund, both FTL and buffer zone, has been encroached upon in Bandlaguda. District collector Amoy Kumar wrote a letter to his Hyderabad counterpart on August 5 on the issue.
“We have no idea whether the Hyderabad district administration acted upon on the findings or not,” he told TOI on Wednesday. Hyderabad district officials did not take calls or respond to messages.
“Due to heavy rains, the flood water entered from Jalpally and Umda Sagar and due to reduction of holding capacity of the tank, exerted pressure on the earthen bund, causing it to breach. Colonies like Ali Nagar got inundated,” the deputy executive engineer of irrigation, north tank division, informed government.
Rangareddy authorities lodged separate complaints with Mailardevpally and RGI Shamshabad police stations directing police to investigate and take criminal against those who encroached upon lakes.
The bund of Appa Cheruvu got damaged on October 14 and there were complaints that some residents had deliberately damaged it to avoid inundation of their colonies by releasing water from the lake. The irrigation department said some commercial buildings were raised in Appa Cheruvu lake bed area and lake course was also grabbed.