Raa Cheruvu – A sorry picture of Telangana government apathy

Hyderabad: Once again Raa Cheruvu, Boduppal, is in a sorry state. All promises made by the ministers remain just that. Residents allege that whenever they raise the issue, the Boduppal municipality and the irrigation department take up just cleaning works at the lake and soon the situation would turn the same. At present, the 45-acre lake is covered with water hyacinth and sewage water is entering into the lake. Last year when the NGO Helping Hands Humanity took up cleaning work at the lake and there was some improvement in the situation. But when the state government took up its restoration, the situation only got worse.

"Four months back Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister, KT Rama Rao has tweeted that immediate action would be taken but nothing has happened yet. Six months back we stopped cleaning due to the current pandemic situation. Earlier every Sunday along with 6 volunteers, we used to clean the lake and its surrounding areas.

The condition of the lake was improving but now it has become worst. Under the Haritha Haram programme, the state government planned plant plants but nothing significant has been achieved. Whenever we raised the issue, only that time local leaders, Boduppal municipality and irrigation department take up cleaning works at the lakes but for a particular time. Thereafter, the situation again turns to where it was. Minister of Labour & Employment Malla Reddy has visited the lake and promised that action would be taken but nothing has happened yet. It is high time the state government started development and cleaning works at the lake," said Prashanth, a volunteer of Helping Hands Humanity.

"Despite KTR tweet nothing has changed. Only several ministers have visited the lakes and only made false promises and no works are done in the ground. When KTR tweeted, only for namesake Boduppal municipality took up some works. But now the lake is in a very bad condition and also sewage water is let into it.

We the residents only want that the lake should be clean. As it is monsoon season, mosquitoes menace and stinking smell issues have increased. Residents of Ambedkar Nagar, Jyoti Nagar, Devender Nagar, Sai Durga Nagar are facing problems due to the bad condition of the lake," said Naveen, a resident of Boduppal.

Upendra Reddy, Commissioner , Boduppal municipality, said, "Last year development works of this lake were planned. From the Boduppal municipality side, bush cleaning was done with an amount of Rs 50 lakh. For bund improvement and other development under mission Kakatiya, the irrigation department has sanctioned Rs 80 lakh, but funds are not released yet. Once the funds are released the works would start." Suresh, the district irrigation officer, said, "Basically, the irrigation department looks after desilting of tank base. The work for the development of Raa Cheruvu was sanctioned in 2016 but the contractor could not execute the works as the lake was filled with polluted water. So, right now, we have sent a proposal for extension of time. Once we get the approval, works would be taken up. In the meantime desilting would be done."