Commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s (GHMC) EVDM wing, A.V.Ranganath at Lotus Pond in Hyderabad on June 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The newly-appointed Commissioner, Enforcement, Vigilance & Disaster Management wing of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, A. V. Ranganath inspected the site of encroachment of the Lotus Pond, Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad on Thursday, and issued instructions for action.
Acting upon the news report ‘Encroachers nibble at Lotus Pond’ published in The Hindu on Thursday, Mr. Ranganath, who assumed charge a day before, visited the area of the park towards Film Nagar where the boundary wall was pulled down in an attempt at encroachment.
“After breaking in, they removed the greenery in a large extent of area, before filling it up and levelling it. We found that the retaining wall they built was dangerously on the verge of collapse due to the dumping of soil, and I have issued orders for pulling it down,” Mr. Ranganath shared.
He also informed that the encroacher was identified as Gokul Narne, and orders have been issued for registering a case against him. Forest department has been notified about felling of the trees in violation of The Telangana Water, Land and Trees Act, 2002.
The Hindu brought to light the demolition of compound wall, and a blatant attempt at encroachment of the park area around the pond using excavator machinery. The article had spoken about earlier encroachments too, wherein the boundary wall was felled at places and buildings raised.
