GWMC contemplating to set up body on the lines of HYDRAA to clear lake encroachments

The corporation authorities have already started conducting surveys of various lakes under its jurisdiction with the help of the DGPS to get the exact details of the water bodies

Warangal: To protect water bodies from encroachments, Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) is reportedly contemplating to constitute a body on the lines of Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA).

The corporation authorities have already started conducting surveys of various lakes under its jurisdiction with the help of the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) to get the exact details of the water bodies.

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The officials are comparing the survey reports with the Revenue and Land Survey Department records and identifying the encroached areas.

According to official records, there are 170 lakes spread over 4,993.66 acres in the GWMC limits. In addition to this, officials have identified ponds and lakes in the 42 villages which were merged with the corporation. A report has been reportedly sent to the State government with the details of the number of lakes in the city limits and the area of land.

Sources say tenders have already been called for a comprehensive survey of 75 lakes with the help of drones under the supervision of the Irrigation Department. According to GWMC officials, through survey it would be known how much area of the lakes have been been encroached.

According to record available with the GWMC, Waddepally Lake is spread over 556.32 acres, Bhadrakali Lake 495.89 acres, Chinna Waddepally Cheruvu 70.74 acres, Kota Cheruvu 172.40 acres, Rangasamudram Tank (Ursu Cheruvu) 190.53 acres and Gundu Cheruvu Khila Warangal 26.81 acres.

The State government had constituted a 14-member Lake Protection Committee in 2018, but it had done nothing concrete for the protection of the lakes.

The officials of the Irrigation department were suppose to demarcate and geo-tag the tanks like Chinna Waddepally, Bhadrakali, Bondivagu Nala, Kota Cheruvu and Waddepally lake, and create a buffer zone to prevent encroachments in 2022, but that too was not done.