Lakes of the city: Palle Cheruvu

Palle Cheruvu is located in Uppara Palli of Shamirpet Mandal. The lake, listed under the HMDA Lake Protection Committee, was surveyed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in 2013. According to the subsequent report filed, the water spread area of the lake is about 0.7 acres, Full Tank Level (FTL) is 47 acres and bund length is 481 metre.

The lake was once used to provide water for agriculture and allied activities besides being a source of drinking water. Besides this, the lake also attracted various migratory birds in the winter season due to its dense forest environment. The lake is 22 kilometre away from Secunderabad Railway Station and 35 kilometre away from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

History
According to locals, the lake got its name from the village ‘Palle’ which means a village in Telugu. They say that the lake existed from the Nizam era and acted as a water reservoir by conserving water from high altitudes in the rainy season. The lake water was used for cultivation and drinking needs of the local and surrounding villages. It was a heaven for fishermen due to favourable conditions for growth of different species of fish back then. Some locals also say that the lake got its name from uppari pani manushulu (excavators/masons), as many masons used to stay in this village during the construction of the Shamirpet Tank during the Nizam era.

Problems
Dr Lubna Sarwath, co-convener and a member of Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL), said, “Though the GHMC conducted a survey in 2013, no fencing was done to prevent encroachments in the FTL and buffer zone. The present water level is very low and almost dry in summer.”

She appealed to the Telangana government to include the existing Palle Cheruvu in Mana Ooru Mana Cheruvu Scheme under Mission Kakatiya, initiated by irrigation minister K Harish Rao, to save and restore the rivers and ponds in Telangana State. The main objective of the project is to bring back the lost glory of the villages by reviving the rivers and lakes. There are 45,000 rivers, tanks and ponds in Telangana and it is estimated that 1,500 lakes will be restored soon, about 9,000 tanks will be restored every year in a phased manner in five years will be beginning in December this year. The main aim is to revive the rivers and ponds by digging and dredging so that they can be put to the best use by farmers for agriculture and allied activities.

By: Ch Saibaba