Government Questioned on Infringement of Lakes and Water Bodies

Hyderabad: A division bench of the Telangana High Court on Thursday warned the State government regarding the water crisis. There will be a severe water crisis for the future generation if water resources aren't preserved and protected today. 

A recent meeting was held to discuss water bodies' protection and ways to prevent the encroachment of lakes and water bodies. The officials of various departments attended this meeting. The court also recommended to include the police department in the upcoming committee meetings. A proposed committee on the protection of water bodies was to be set by the Government. The bench questioned the Government if the committee was constituted and how many encroachments have been identified and the steps taken to prevent encroachments.

The bench found that there was a lack of coordination among several departments such as HMDA, GHMC, revenue department to take any measures to protect the water bodies and lakes. The bench found the Government faulty and stated that If the court orders passed against the illegal encroachments that are brought to the notice of the registration department, such lands might be barred from having registration. The bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy passed this order.

This order was passed through video conferencing in a PIL taken up based on a letter addressed to the Chief Justice by Lubna Sarwath (state general secretary to Socialist Party of India) alleging encroachment of several lakes in GHMC area, especially Khajaguda Talab (Pedda Cheruvu). She stated that a concrete road was being laid in the FTL (Full Tank level) of Khajaguda that would hamper the lake and the heritage identity.

In the hearing, the government counsel told the court that no constructions are allowed to occur in the Khajaguda lake. All the precautionary measures have been taken to prevent the encroachment of the lake. The council asked for two weeks to submit maps of the years 2014 and 2019, showing details of Khajaguda talab.

Post-hearing the government counsel submissions, the court asked for a report regarding measures taken for the prevention of lakes' encroachments. The report must be submitted at the earliest, and the next hearing was posted to August 17.

Public interest litigation on the concrete road laid in Khajaguda:

Public interest litigation was taken up based on a letter addressed to the Chief Justice by Lubna Sarwath (state general secretary to Socialist Party of India) alleging encroachment of several lakes in GHMC area, especially Khajaguda Talab (Pedda Cheruvu), stating that a concrete road was being laid in the FTL (Full Tank level) of Khajaguda.