HYDERABAD: Encroachments in city lakes are one of the reasons for urban flooding, revealed a visit around those areas where many high rise buildings have come up on FTL and buffer zones of lakes.
Following incessant rains, 28 of the 185 lakes in GHMC limits have crossed the full tank level (FTL) and surplus water gushed into their connecting nalas and thereafter into colonies and onto roads.
Mella cheruvu in Tellapur, Tammidikunta cheruvu (Madhapur), Gopi cheruvu (Lingampally), Malkam cheruvu (Raidurgam), Erla cheruvu (Madinaguda), Nalla cheruvu (Uppal), Mirlam Tank (Bahadurpura) and HMT Lake (Qutubullapur) are some examples where water has crossed the FTL.
At Mella cheruvu three high-rise projects are being built by reputed builders, while there has been encroachment at Vanam cheruvu, and Chelli Kunta in the same area.
“We saw these three lakes shrinking by more than half while these three high rise buildings were being raised. The present water in these lakes is highly polluted due to sewage discharge and dumping of garbage into it,” said a resident of Tellapur.
“Many complaints have been lodged by locals and resident welfare associations in this regard but no action has been taken against the encroachers,” he added.
According to officials of the irrigation department, due to encroachments on the FTL and buffer zones of these lakes, the holding capacity of these lakes has reduced resulting in inundation of colonies and slums located around it.
On Sunday, water also gushed into houses located in the GO 111 area. Janwada, Khanapur, Aziznagar, Nagireddyguda and Miyakhangadda are some places in GO 111 area where people from middle income families and economically weaker sections suffered badly.
