Lake encroachment invites public ire

Yapral: About 150 people gathered at the Yapral Cheruvu on Sunday morning in protest against the alleged encroachment of the lake. Locals say that the lake which was 25 acres has been reduced to 19.5 acres due to rampant encroachment.

Local fishermen say that due to encroachments and effluents let into the lake, fishermen have stopped catching fish. In all 346 families are affected. Sathamma, 65, a fisherwoman said, “We lost our livelihood.

Several families survived on the lake for the last few decades.” Kavali Devender, vice president, Mudiraj Sangam said, “When DNR Gardens were trying to build a wall inside the lake, locals protested and it was stalled but he was able to make inroads into the lake.”

The surplus outflow channel which was initially 15 metres has now been reduced to one metre and the wall at the weir that was three feet was demolished so that water could flow.

Lubna Sarwath of Save Our Urban lakes (SOUL) said, “GO No 731 has to be immediately scrapped as it allows NOCs for sites falling near the vicinity of lakes, tanks, nalas and FTL in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits. A few months back, the GHMC too built a road inside the lake at a height of 10 feet.

“SOUL members say that the civic body admits that it has built a road, the damage has been done; now we want the authorities to restore the lake,” she said.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) map does not show encroachment of DNR Gardens in the map. Lubna said, “The superintending engineer has signed the map and now it is uploaded on HMDA website. Google image however shows the encroachment.”