Hyderabad: Cracks on Appa Cheruvu bund again worry dwellers

Rajendranagar: Lack of funds to carry out repair work has led to a poignant situation at Appa Cheruvu at Gagan Pahad, where recent rain caused more cracks on the bund besides widening the gap of existing chasms, posing a grave risk to people living around the water body.

Last year the brimming lake bund breached due to incessant rain, leaving behind a trial of destruction. Several people living closeby were washed away on the fateful day, October 13, 2020. The tragedy claimed five lives, while bodies of a few are yet to be retrieved.

Also in May this year the pre-monsoon showers left several cracks on the bund. Only after local people sounded alarm the Revenue and Irrigation officials visited the site to stock of the situation.

Now, due to consecutive rain for the last four days, the bund received more cracks, besides widening the already existing gap. The bund--made up of landfill sans any solid support--holds no lasting durability against intermittent rain, as the surface is getting washed away repeatedly leaving behind ditches and chasms to several metres all along the stretch.

Spread over an area of 40 acres, the lake stands close to the National Highway 44, an area known as Gagan Pahad. Colonies close to water bodies include Dream India, Dream Avenue, Metro Hills, Phugat Nagar and Gagan Pahad, besides hundreds of people living in shades.

Said Mohammed Mahboob, a resident living close to Appa Cheruvu, "the bund was washed away for the second time during last three months . Loads of soil and landfill are getting wasted into the lake within a few hours of rain making the bund vulnerable to calamities. The bund should be raised concretely to safeguard the lives of people living abutting the water body.

When contacted, Irrigation officials said "the temporary bund is getting affected time and again as the surface is getting washed away by force of rain every time. As an impromptu measure, we have taken up temporary work again to repair it, besides constructing chute drains to help drain out storm water. We proposed to the government to construct a retaining wall with stone pitching alongside the bund. Its response is awaited."