Oora Cheruvu

Oora Cheruvu
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Highlights

Oora Cheruvu is located at Kompally village in Quthbullapur mandal in Ranga Reddy district, and is covered under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Lake Protection Committee.

Oora Cheruvu is located at Kompally village in Quthbullapur mandal in Ranga Reddy district, and is covered under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Lake Protection Committee. The lake was surveyed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in 2013 and according to its report, water across the lake is spread across 37 acres, the Full Tank Limit (FTL) is 28 acres and bund length is 668 metres. The lake was once used to provide water for agriculture and village needs including fishing. This used to be a major source for replenishing the groundwater. This lake also used to attract migratory birds in winter. Oora Cheruvu is 20 kilometres away from Secunderabad Railway Station and 30 kilometres from Nampally Railway Station.

 View of Oora Cheruvu

History

According to locals, the name of the lake was derived from the common name of village (village means Ooru). Subsequently it became popular as Oora Cheruvu. Sreenivas, an employee in Gram Panchyat, Kompally, said that it was one of the villages ruled by the Nizam under the control of various Jagirdhars and the lake water was used for domestic and agricultural needs of the villagers at that time.

Problems

Thakur Rajkumar Singh, member of Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL), said, “Though it was identified by the Lake Protection Committee, no fencing was done to prevent encroachments in the FTL and buffer zone, resulting in rampant illegal structures including a temple. The entire lake has now turned into a dump yard and it has become a haven for the pigs and dogs. The entire lake is polluted leading to death of fishes. The lake emanates obnoxious smell leading to health disorders to the residents of Kompally.”

SOUL had submitted notices and complaints to concerned authorities from time to time but everything has been in vain so far. Venkatiah, a Kompally resident, said, “The lake is dying as no action is being taken to protect the lake either by the GHMC or the HMDA authorities, as per the recommendations of the Lake Protection Committee, has been taken. The Telangana government and concerned authorities should look into the matter to save the lake and prevent further encroachments.”

Civil society activists, who studied and prepared a report on the lake, said that the official response was short on many issues. “The absence of response to Oora Cheruvu was conspicuous. The study pointed the construction of a religious structure which is alleged a ploy by land grabbers to encroach the lake area. While the authorities have responded to some, many issues have been left out. Encroachment is taking place in Oora Cheruvu with the assistance of some powerful people but the district administration has not done anything about it,” stated the activists.

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