Fencing Ruknud tank could have saved lives

Rajendranagar: After retrieval of bodies of two young boys on Saturday, another body was found on Sunday in the historic tank of Bum Ruknud Dowla lake at Shivarampally. As the proposal for laying fencing around it is kept pending, the locals are slamming the official apathy towards the issue.

Unfortunately, works to fence the water body have been put on hold since the Principal Secretary (MAUD) Arvind Kumar made a visit recently to the historic lake.

Even before the proposal could materialise, the delay has already taken its toll. Two young boys identified as Haroon (11) and Toufeeq (9), residents of King's Colony located abutting the lake, went missing for three days and a complaint was lodged at Mailardevpally police station in this regard.

Sending shockwaves in the surrounding localities, their bodies were found in the lake on Saturday. It is surmised that they might have gone for swimming and accidently drowned in the lake unmindful of the treacherous depths of water body.

Lack of fencing

The lake does not have any fencing though it was proposed long ago but is still pending. The historic lake is abutted by habitations. People, especially the young children, often venture into the brimming lake, taking advantage of its free access sans any fencing.

Though the officials had taken up rudimentary works at the lake in the beginning of June with some land filling activities, it is said that the subsequent works of fencing around the water body were abruptly stopped following the visit of the Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar on June 14.

The PS turned up there to take stock of the encroachments and pollution in the lake due to the heavy inflow of the sewerage from the surrounding areas. Since then the officials have been waiting for clear orders from higher-ups, they are of the view that there is a change of mind after the PS visit to the lake.

It is believed that some people, who own properties at the lake side, might have used their influence to stop the fencing work anticipating a possibility of losing their properties.

Court order may spur action by officials

In the wake of a High Court order to conduct fresh survey of full tank level (FTL) and buffer zone at Mir Alam Lake, the officials at the helm of affair at Bum Ruknud Dowla are sceptical and anticipate a similar nature of instructions from authorities, if not the court, for carrying out fencing works to protect the water body from encroachments and pollution.

"The fencing works were supposed to be completed by now but were put on hold to receive fresh instructions from the higher-ups to carry the same. Land filling was deferred since the visit of Principal Secretary last month to the historic lake.

We have not yet received any fresh orders and are waiting for the same. We are not in a position to tell whether we can go ahead with the order issued earlier or a fresh one would be passed soon. In the absence of fresh orders, we are in a dilemma whether to carry out the fencing work or not," said an official on the condition of anonymity.