Hyderabad: GHMC to protect and develop eight lakes

Hyderabad: On the sidelines of the pandemic, several lakes in the City, which were vulnerable to calamity with bunds, are on the priority list of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to protect and develop for public use.

After two complaints were brought to the notice of Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao, the City Mayor promised to take up cleaning and construction of walking tracks at five lakes.

The lakes, which were shrinking and now a cesspool with trash dumped within and on the periphery, include Bandham Kunta, Pedda Cheruvu, Kotta Kunta, Raman Pond Lake (in Qutbullapur), Gajularamaram lake, Bathukamma Kunta (Kukatpally) and Banjara Lake (Khairatabad).

According to a local Ratan Raj, the Gajularamaram lake is shrinking with land sharks continuously dumping construction waste. It has turned green due to algae growth and covered with a thick blanket of hyacinth. He urged authorities to construct walking tracks around the lake to protect it.

Algae growth and hyacinth are causing health issues for people residing near these lakes. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, these water bodies have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes whose rising number is creatinged havoc.

Keeping in view such conditions, the GHMC has decided to soon take up restoration work of these lakes. In the first phase cleaning will be taken up. Later construction of walking tracks will be done, said an engineer of the civic body's Irrigation department.

According to officials, a team of sanitation workers has been constituted to clear the piled-up garbage around lakes. As part of restoration desilting works will also be taken up, informed officials.

To prevent and mitigate the consequences of flooding in future and minimise damage, the GHMC, under the 'Strategic Nala Development Programme' (SNDP), is to carry out crucial works at these lakes to avoid hardship to people during the monsoon. The corporation is to take up development of surplus weirs, lakes, water tanks and water bodies under SNDP.