In an action-filled daylong operation, the forces from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) , together with other departments, cracked down on the unauthorised structures in the Bam Rukn Ud-Dowlah (Lake Rukn Ud-Dowlah) in Shivarampally area of Rajendranagar mandal on Saturday (August 10, 2024).
High tension prevailed in King’s Colony and Shastripuram areas as the houses of some VIPs were allegedly demolished.
Equipped with earthmovers, the forces pulled down several structures which came up within the full tank level (FTL) of the lake, which had been filled up by the encroachers over the past eight months.
The structures allegedly included buildings owned by the legislator of Bahadurpura Constituency Mohammed Mubeen and MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig.
Mr. Ranganath put the figure of demolished structures at around 12-13, which were all under construction, and unoccupied. It was a joint operation in coordination with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Irrigation, Police, Fire, and Revenue departments, he said. A total 10 acres of FTL has been reclaimed from the encroachers, he said.
The encroachment and filling of the heritage lake had been long condoned by civic and revenue authorities despite objections raised by the Irrigation officials and concerned citizens.
In 2018 a case was filed in the National Green Tribunal by activist-political leader Lubna Sarwath, against encroachment of the western side of lake where BT roads were laid.
Upon the court’s directions the next year, the then principal secretary of Municipal Administration, Arvind Kumar surveyed the lake together with the Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
In 2022 too a committee constituted by the central pollution control board surveyed the lake together with the petitioner Sarwath and submitted their report about encroachments and pollution of the lake.
However, no action had been taken against encroachments, and during the past eight months, even the eastern part of the lake too was totally levelled and built upon. The enforcement authorities including Police & Revenue refrained from taking action, citing a High Court order produced by the encroacher.
The order merely directed the authorities not to interfere with the petitioner’s possession of his six acres of land in Survey No. 42 in the ‘Bumruknudowla village’ of Rajendranagar mandal, without following the due process.
Only 3.5 acres of the 12 acre land within Survey No. 42 falls into the lake’s FTL area, and no Revenue enquiry was conducted to determine the location of the six acres claimed by the petitioner.
“We are not concerned with the issue of title. The issue here is of unauthorised construction without the required permissions from the civic body,” Mr. Ranganath said.
Mr.Ranganath said efforts will be made in coordination with the GHMC, to restore the lake to its original shape and extent.
HYDRAA forces also cleared illegal structures from the Erla Cheruvu in Chandanagar on Saturday.