PNS|Hyderabad
The Congress filed a complaint with the CBI requesting it to probe the encroachments of ponds and lakes worth approximately Rs 1,000 crore in Hanamkonda and Warangal districts by the proxies of Wardhannapet MLA Aroori Ramesh.
Senior Congress leader Bakka Judson said in his complaint that the GWMC has failed to remove encroachments inside the lake and FTL levels as the land mafia is grabbing land with the help of the local MLA, A. Ramesh, in broad daylight.
The Chauda Cheruvu has been grabbed and now there is a 100 feet road and colonies inside it blocking the natural flow of rainwater and damaging the local environment. The inflow channels and their cleaning are now difficult and this is leading to floods and preventing the flow of rainwater into connected lakes.
At present in the 56th Division, the Gopalapuram Lake settlement is damaged and it is leading to water shortage in nearby colonies due to lack of desilting and encroachment in the lake’s FTL areas.
The Gopalapuram Lake which extended nearly 30 acres is now only 10 acres due to land grabbing and construction on the lakebed and inside the FTL area. In Mandal Panthini village 12 acres of Tummukunta Pond have been encroached. Recently, rainwater almost drowned the Laxmipuram village in Hasanparthy Mandal due to this.
The Bandham Lake in Devannapet village and the Chennangi Lake have been totally encroached and villas are being constructed.
Similarly, in Vangapahad village, the Babai Lake, the Uracheruvu Lake and the Chintala Cheruvu Lake etc have been encroached upon.The MLA’s camp office is constructed on a nala. The FTL buffer zones of lakes have not been identified and it is a concern for residents as the land mafia is getting ready to occupy the nala using fabricated documents.
The residents of Vivek Nagar Colony, Kuda Colony, Pragati Colony, NGO Colony, Dwarka Sai Nagar, Jawahar Colony, and Amaravathi Nagar Colony have approached the GWMC demanding protection of the lakes and steps to prevent damage to the lakes which has resulted in a water shortage.
The main culprit and initiator of all these moves is MLA Aroori Ramesh and his associates in collusion with BRS bosses.
The KUDA Lake Protection Committee was established by GO Ms. No: 81 dated 09-04-2018 to protect the nearly 267 lakes in the GWMC area. This was done like the GO: 1 of the HMDA with similar guidelines.
The GWMC Commissioner will be the convener members and administrative heads were named as committee members.
Judson requested the CBI to probe the encroachment of ponds and lakes in Hanamkonda and Warangal districts and to punish the culprits behind it including the current MLA, A. Ramesh, and GWMC officials for the destruction of the environment and lakes and for creating problems for the citizens of the affected areas.
