Hyderabad: Two more outlets opened to ease pressure on Appa Cheruvu bund

With an aim to ease the pressure on the lake bund to avoid untoward incident like last year, the irrigation officials have opened two more outlets in addition to already existing two sluices in Appa Cheruvu Lake, at Gagan Pahad in Rajendranagar.

Appa Cheruvu Lake that spreads over an area of 40 acres, is located in Mailardevpally division No 59 and is a connecting course of water bodies like Brahmana Kunta, Brahman Cheruvu, Mamidi Kunta on upward direction and Noor Mohammed Kunta, Palle Cheruvu, Gurrum Cheruvu on downside.

Last year the Appa Cheruvu Lake bund developed breaches due to incessant rains and eventually collapsed on the intervening night of October 13, 2020 that swept away several families living alongside the lake.

This tragedy claimed the lives of five people and some of them have not yet recovered. Later, the irrigation authorities took up temporary repair and restoration works with only land filling to raise the bund height. The colonies that stand immediately to the lake include Metro Hills and Dream Monarch and other surrounding areas of Gagan Pahad.

Now the officials claim that sensing the enormity they have opened two temporary outlets to release the pressure on the lake bund.

"The new outlets were opened recently on front and back side of the bund as an emergency but temporary measure to release the increasing pressure following heavy inflows," informed Vishwam, Assistant Executive Engineer, Irrigation Wing Rajendranagar.

Explaining that heavy inflow from upstream areas into lake recently has prompted the officials to make emergency arrangements, he said, "Upon finding that a very less amount of water was passing through the existing two sluices in the water body, we have opened two more temporary outlets (one is of 2 metre anabranch and another 1.2 diametre pipeline) to allow free flow of water from the lake."

However, alleged encroachments over the water body are also one among the issues the officials are facing at the lakeside. According to revenue officials there are few industries besides two houses and a shed have come up under the lake area. Later, the official said, they took up the matter with higher ups and even issued notices. However, no action has been taken so far from the official side to clear up encroachments.