Despite heavy rains in Hyd, RK Puram lake remains dry

Hyderabad: Despite good inflows in the water bodies due to the recent heavy rains in the city, RK Puram Lake is dry as the ongoing lake revival works have been stalled. As a result, the lake could not receive inflows during the rainy season.

According to the sources, four years ago, under Mission Kakatiya Phase IV and in two phases, works were taken up under Part -A for Rs 1,43,10,838 and under Part- B for Rs 8,54,61,407 were sanctioned but bills paid till now for Part-A works Rs 82.78 Lakh, for part-B Rs.327.82 lakh were utilised, and the rest of the amount is still pending and the works have been halted last year.

The irrigation department has taken up lake development and beautification works but in the mid-way the works were stopped and handed over to HMDA. The reason for halting the works as cited by concerned officials was due to the non-availability of labour due to then COVID conditions and due to the unprecedented of rainfalls last year. The ground reality is that only 20 per cent works has been taken up in the name of beautification and only a walkway has been developed that too as the sewage treatment in the lake has not been taken up.

Locals pointed out that as the catchment area of the lake is completely dried up, the pipelines are completely choked, as earlier all sewage water from the lake was diverted and it was told that with rains the lake would be filled but due to halt of works the complete lake has become barren. “The unavailability of water in the lake has led to scarcity of groundwater, as around 40, 000 households are suffering from water shortage and due to that locals have gone for re-boring, and the major affected colonies are Devi Nagar, Vidya Nagar, RKPuram Basti, Bank Colony, Sitaram Nagar, Balram Nagar and Krishna Nagar. This project should be taken up immediately, as our groundwater levels have completely dried up,” said Robin, a local.

“It is very pathetic to see the situation when other lakes in the city are receiving good inflows due to recent rains, RK Puram Lake is lying barren. In the name of development and beautification of the lake, works were taken up. Four years ago, the rainwater coming from catchment areas was diverted to other areas so today after so much rain there is not a single drop of inflow. It will be better if the project gets completed immediately and also they should see that catchment areas get good inflows,” said B T Srinivasan, general secretary, United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations.