Hyderabad: Encroachments near lakes keep dwellers on the edge

Hyderabad: After the City experienced misery and destruction in the previous year's heavy rain causing urban flooding and resulting in deaths of at least two dozen people and affecting over two lakh, once again encroachments of lakes in this monsoon is worrying people residing in low-lying areas.

Despite the civic body razing encroachments on the lakebeds, areas along the Musi river, and in colonies in the Full Tank Level (FTL) or the buffer zone in order to minimise inundation woes, land sharks are dumping debris in water bodies. They aim to sell the lands.

One of the most affected areas during the last year's floods was Osman Nagar, located on the City outskirts, which witnessed the deadliest of floods as the area was submerged for more than three months, leaving 300 families houseless as 281 dwellings were sunk, weakening their foundations.

Now once again there is an alarming situation in the area, as encroachment of the Shukusagar lake is increasing. This was the lake that flooded hundreds of houses in Shaheen Nagar, Osman Nagar, Saif Colony and Renukapur. The Balapur bund at Gurram Cheruvu collapsed leading to flooding in the Hafez Baba Nagar area.

Shanawaz Shaik, a resident, told The Hans India that only a five-foot earthen wall stands between the Shuku Sagar lake and Osman Nagar. He said: "We purchased land in 2018; later constructed a house. In 2020 it got inundated causing cracks on walls. I am worried what will happen in the current monsoon."

Residents of Osman Nagar have been urging the State government to stop the encroachments because they cannot bear floods one more time.

A satellite image from November 2020 shows the full extent of the lake and land where houses were flooded for more than three months.

Later, water was drained out by authorities and volunteers by installing motors, after which residents returned and resumed their lives.

A resident claimed that despite several warnings by the government not to dump waste in the lake or near it, land grabbers are dumping tonnes of construction waste intending to convert into plots and sell them.

Said Mohd Minhaj, a social activist: "No effort has been made to stop the encroachments.

However, less than 250 encroachments near the lakes were removed, which made no difference to either residents in low-lying areas or the encroachers," said Mohd Minhaj, a social activist.