Hyderabad: Officials visit Appa Cheruvu, take stock of situation

Rajendranagar: Following a report in The Hans India about the plight of Appa Cheruvu Lake at Gagan Pahad on July 17 that more cracks have been developed on the bund posing a grave risk to nearby dwellers, a team of officials from Revenue and Irrigation departments has visited the Lake on Friday and took stock of the situation.

Though the security on the bund has been boosted by barring entry for the general public ever since the report was published in The Hans India, the officials of Irrigation, Revenue, and Police departments made inspections on Friday to take stock of the prevailing situation as incessant rains intermittently falling since a week. The officials took up impromptu measures to open up an outlet to allow excess inflows to seamlessly pass through the course of feeder channels to other water bodies.

The report "Cracks on Appa Cheruvu bund again worry dwellers," highlighted the plight of the unmetalled bund that developed fresh cracks due to consistent rain putting the lives of the nearby people into jeopardy again. Appa Cheruvu is one among the lakes that left a trail of destruction last year on the fateful day of October 13 when the bund was blown up after heavy inflows gushed into the lake. The tragedy claimed the lives of five people and few of them have not yet been retrieved.

Revenue Divisional Officer Rajendranagar, Chandrakala accompanied by MRO K Chandrasekhar, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Chief Engineer Suresh Kumar, and other officials from both revenue and irrigation wings have visited the lake and studied the situation.

"As the rain continued for four days, the Revenue officials of Rajendranagar along with Irrigation officials made a visit to Appa Cheruvu Lake and took stock of the situation. As it has been found during the inspection that some structures have come up deep inside the FTL area we have decided to start serving notices from Saturday itself. There were measures taken from the Irrigation side also to ensure safety at the lake as showers are still continuing, informed K Chandrasekhar, Mandal Revenue Officer, Rajendranagar.

"In order to ensure safety to nearby habitation besides strengthening the Appa Cheruvu Lake, the irrigation wing authorities have taken up works of two sluice gates and a trench besides dowel banks on the bund anticipating that the water level is increasing gradually. We are also acquainted with the development of cracks on the bund due to recent incessant rains and are taking appropriate measures to rectify the same," informed an Irrigation Official on the condition of anonymity.

Earlier in the day, the Commissioner Police Cyberabad VC Sajjanar along with ACP R Sanjay Kumar and other police officials also visited Appa Cheruvu Lake and few other water bodies in the surrounding areas to study the present situation arising out due to consistent rain. Traffic Inspector Rajendranagar Shyam Sundar and other officials of Law and Order were also present on the occasion.