Hyderabad: Illegal buildings sprout right under the nose of civic babus

Hyderabad: Casting aside the restrictions imposed under GO 111, unauthorised constructions keep on sprouting in Gowli Doddi village under Narsinghi municipality, right under the nose of town planning officials.

Besides residential buildings, high rise commercial structures are also coming up in the area causing heavy revenue loss to the government besides posing a grave threat to the two historical water bodies like Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar Lakes.

According to official statistics, this tiny enclave-that was divided into 18 wards, is a house for 31 government institutions and has two most significant and historical water bodies like Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar Lakes. To ensure the protection of these twin reservoirs, the State government imposed restrictions under GO No.111 that says that no construction activities are permitted under the radius of 10 km of the lakes.

However, it is found that high rise structures are mushrooming in the Gowli Doddi area despite the GO 111, as the officials turned a blind eye towards the fresh developments, encouraging the landsharks and builders.

A few months back the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) authorities rolled out their machines and pulled down scores of unauthorised structures in Gowli Doddi village. However, after a lull of four months, the structures again started rising up, cocking a snook at the HMDA officials.

Though the officials are saying that they have warned the offenders against the unauthorised constructions in the area, the locals are on the view that unlawful activities are the result of a nexus between the officials and the offenders. The question here is remained unanswered that how these structures are coming up in an area where GO 111 has already being imposed.

The Commissioner of Narsingi Municipality C Satya Babu said, "Actually we have issued notices to people asking them to stop raising constructions in Gowli Doddi area. However, we came to know that the construction activities have begun once again in the area. We have sent a team to the area to prevent them from unlawful activities and will take necessary action against the people for this audacity."