Bum Ruknud Dowla lake fencing begins

• As per the plan, 1,100 meters of land on one side would be fenced, and the other side of the bund has HUDA park which is already protected.

• The works will start with clearing bushes on the site and then proceed with laying of foundation for the poles in next stage

• The lake once brimmed with crystal clear water. It has now turned into a pond of filth with sewage from surrounding localities flowing into it

Rajendranagar: After a lot of flip flop, the Irrigation Department is finally moving ahead with its plan to fence the historic 'Bum Ruknud Doula Lake', located opposite to National Police Academy in Shivrampally.

The irrigation officials visited the lake this month, after receiving instructions from higher ups and took stock of the situation. "Now, all the decks have been cleared and the fencing work has been given a go ahead, however, unfriendly weather condition has been the cause for delay," said an official on the condition of anonymity.

As per the plan, 1,100 meters of land on one side would be fenced, and the other side of the bund has HUDA park which is already protected. The works will start with clearing bushes on the site and then proceed with laying of foundation for the poles in next stage, he added.

Fencing statistics

"We are going to erect about 475 poles of 2.4 mt height and every pole would carry 2.5 meters of a distance between the dowels. With two supporting poles for every 15 meters distance, we will cover the entire encompassing area of 1100 meters," he added.

It is said that fencing work at this lake is nothing less than a litmus test for the officials as they have to overcome political influence working to stall the work.

To this, a proposal with an outlay of Rs 45 lakh was chalked out to safeguard the lake from encroachments. The fencing work that started a few months ago was abruptly put on hold after some local residents raised their objection and a few of them even approached the High Court questioning the actual boundaries of the water body that defines the Full Tank Level (FTL).

Thereupon, Principal Secretary (MAUD) Arvind Kumar too visited the area on June 14 and took stock of the actual situation. Since then the works remained suspended. Now, yet again the fencing work gained momentum with officials shuttling from one lake to another just to see there would be no further delay in arrangements to protect the water bodies in and around the city.

The stream once brimmed with crystal clear water has now turned into a pond of filth with the sewerage from surrounding localities flowing directly into the water

Recently fishing out of three bodies including two children from the lake has raised many eyebrows questioning the delay in fencing the water body by the irrigation department.