The residents of Amar Society on the edge of Durgam Cheruvu, including Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s brother A. Tirupathi Reddy, have received notices for removal encroachment in the buffer level of Durgam Cheruvu.
| Photo Credit: Serish Nanisetti
There is fear at the edge of Durgam Cheruvu in Amar Society as the residents have received notices from the deputy collector of Serilingampally Mandal asking the property owners to remove structures within the partly buffer zone of the lake. Among the recipients of the notices, include Tirupathi Reddy, brother of Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, whose residence and office are located in the area.
“If the government wants to demolish this house, let it do so. I will not come in the way. If I am given time, I will move away with my household goods,” said Mr. Tirupathi Reddy speaking to journalists outside his home. “I purchased this house from a builder. I didn’t know it was in the buffer zone or FTL. This layout was made before the WALTA was brought in,” he said blaming the previous regime for letting illegal activities go on.
“We have been living here for the past 23 years. We have all the permissions. This is an approved layout with all the amenities. How can the government say that this is encroachment after so many years,” said Vani, a resident who has her home at the edge of the lake.
All the houses in the Amar Society have been marked with a red ‘F’ sign to show the full tank level of the lake. The residents of these houses now say this is unfair treatment as they didn’t know about the violation all these years.
At the residence and office of Mr. Reddy, bouncers shooed away photographers and cameramen.
The residents of Amar Society on the edge of Durgam Cheruvu, including Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s brother A. Tirupathi Reddy, have received notices for removal encroachment in the buffer level of Durgam Cheruvu.
| Photo Credit:
Serish Nanisetti
The notice has been served under the AP Water, Land and Trees Act 2002 invoking section 23 (2): “Therefore you are hereby directed to remove the structure/encroachment within partly buffer zone of Durgam Cheruvu water body within 30 (days) from the date of receipt of this notice failing which action will be taken for removal of said structure/encroachment.”
“I have been working here for the past 15 years. How can they say it is encroachment. I will lose my job,” said Ashok, who works at one of the homes marked with F.
