A Tale of Vanishing Lakes-vi: Jalpally Lake shrinks as land sharks devour it

Hyderabad: One of the major lakes near RGIA (Rajiv Gandhi International Airport), the Jalpally Lake is slowly falling prey to land sharks. While the water body’s FTL area is spread across 274 acres, the water spread area has shrunk to about half its size. This has given opportunity to encroachers to gobble up land from the dried up area of the lake.

According to a HMDA survey undertaken in 2013, the water spread area then was 187 acres and water level stood at more than 98 m, when the FTL (water level) was more than 100 m. The lake which already witnessed encroachments within the buffer zone has in recent years slowly seen increased activity like filling up the dried section with boulders, even within FTL. Earlier this year, a PIL was also filed by green activists citing increased activity near the lake following plans of Metro Rail extension connecting RGIA to Chandrayangutta via Mailardevpally on Outer Ring Road (ORR). The Court also served notices to the State government and concerned departments in April this year over steps being taken to protect the lake and other nearby water bodies.

According to locals, in recent years, the size of the water body has shrunk significantly as encroachment mostly from the eastern side has been witnessed. The farm houses and ventures on the eastern side of the lake appear to be within the buffer zone, when the HMDA map is compared with the present satellite map. The Jalpally Lake known for its beauty and attracts tourists and youngsters interested in fishing until recent years and has remained unaffected from the rapid urbanisation. But the close proximity to the International Airport has encouraged encroachers to cast their wicked gaze on it. It is being alleged that local political patronage has only bolstered the plans of the encroachers.