Lakes in southern part of Hyderabad fall prey to unchecked encroachments

Lakes in southern part of Hyderabad, including those in Jalpally, Mamidpally, Bandlaguda, and Nadergul, are being encroached by the land mafia. Despite repeated alerts from irrigation officials, illegal dumping and plotting continue, threatening the city’s shrinking water bodies

Hyderabad: While a lot is being done or discussed on lake protection, the land mafia appears to have a free run when it comes to the southern areas of the city.

Several lakes and tanks are being encroached overnight by the land mafia at Jalpally, Bandlaguda, Nadergul, Mamidpally, Mailardevpally, Katedan, and surrounding areas.

Consider the case of Jalpally tank—big boulders are being dumped into the lake from the Jalpally Cargo Road and the Wadi e Mustafa side. The land mafia has converted the encroached area of the lake into plots and is selling them.

“Every night, trucks carrying boulders are dumping the debris on the lake. The intention is to encroach the water body and sell the land,” said Mohd Hameed, a community leader from Wadi e Mustafa, Jalpally.

Until a few years ago, a water body existed near the Jalpally municipal office, and it slowly disappeared, with houses coming up in its place, he added.

The situation is similar at Sai Kunta, Ongoni Kunta, Akkamma Kunta, and Erra Kunta, all located in Mamidipally village in Balapur mandal. “Land grabbers have covered up several tanks in the area and sold them to poor people. There were around 10 tanks each in Mamidipally and Jalpally,” said Mohd Jaffar, a local resident.

The Palle Cheruvu and Bulbul Kunta in Rajendranagar mandal in Ranga Reddy district, and Gurram Cheruvu and Umda Sagar in Bandlaguda mandal in Hyderabad, are not safe either. “Attempts are made time and again to encroach upon the water body. The area has already diminished due to encroachments,” said a local resident of Umda Sagar. At the Ghousenagar end of Umda Sagar, some individuals have constructed a farmhouse and are renting it out.

At Nadergul and Mallapur on the RCI Road, several tanks such as Lachamma Kunta, Bhurankhan Cheruvu, Beera Cheruvu, Pedda Cheruvu, and a few other water bodies are on the verge of being encroached.

When contacted, an official of the Irrigation Department said that they are regularly informing local revenue officials and HYDRAA to initiate action. “Attempts are being made by the land mafia to encroach the land. However, we are alert and foiling their plans,” said the official.