Jalpally: No action taken on Yerra Kunta Lake encroachments

Jalpally: A year after the first report about the alleged disappearance of Yerrakunta Cheruvu in Jalpally municipality appeared in The Hans India, officials from the Irrigation department made a visit again on Tuesday, possibly to ascertain what has been left behind.

It was in November 2021 when the officials from the Irrigation department zeroed in at the lake site after receiving a slew of complaints.

Notified by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) with an ID numbered 3609, this lake has almost disappeared as a brazen level of encroachments left nothing on the ground except a small furrow, that too, filled with sewage being released from surrounding houses.

According to Aarvee Associates, a private agency which carried out a survey in 2013, the Yerra Cheruvu Lake of Balapur village under Jalpally municipality was spread over 19.943 acres with 14.069 acres covered with water.

An unprecedented level of encroachments has swallowed the water body to such an extent that nothing could be visible on the ground at present to make people realise that a beautiful lake once appeared there.

"Just a tiny pool of murky water running in from surrounding colonies amid the weeds is the only relic of the water body. Though the officials from Irrigation department made a visit last year, no appropriate measures were taken by them to safeguard the lake from encroachments," rued Samad Bin Siddiq, a resident of Jalpally.

The entirety of Yerra Kunta Lake has gradually disappeared since the first complaint made in 2019. The officials are fully acquainted with the issue but are doing nothing to safeguard the lake. Following several complaints to the local officials, we have approached the Court for appropriate remedy but the encroachments keep on moving incessantly," informed Hassan Bin Ahmed Shaker, who made several pleas from Irrigation to Revenue department besides the Chief Secretary to the Government.

"According to the instruction given by the Collector of Ranga Reddy, we inspected the Yerra Kunta Lake area on Tuesday to ascertain the extent of encroachments over the water body. More inspection would be carried out in the coming days before submitting a final report to the higher authorities", informed Vemula Gangaraju, assistant engineer, Irrigation Department.

Balapur MRO Janardhan Rao said, "I took charge recently but will follow up with the case soon and if needed the same will be communicated to the higher authorities for further action. "