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Banjara Lake conservation plan put in cold storage
Frequent calls by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) to the State government over the delay in implementing the Centrally-sanctioned National lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) project on Hamed Khan Kunta, popularly known as Banjara Lake, have fallen on the deaf ears of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (HMWSSB) over the past decade.
Hyderabad: Frequent calls by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) to the State government over the delay in implementing the Centrally-sanctioned National lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) project on Hamed Khan Kunta, popularly known as Banjara Lake, have fallen on the deaf ears of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (HMWSSB) over the past decade.
The MoEF, in its reply to RTI application filed by The Hans India, pointed out that the State government and departments concerned were not giving any response on the project for the last several years. “The Ministry is yet to receive replies for their previous letters sent on July 9, 2014 and October 29, 2014 asking them to inform the status of the project,” the MoEF said.
The Ministry said at a meeting on November, 2013, the MoEF officials had given instructions to authorities concerned to convene a meeting with other departments and complete the project. The Ministry had sanctioned “Rehabilitation and Rejuvenation of Banjara Lake in Hyderabad” project at a total cost of Rs 4.30 crore.
The project was to be implemented on 70:30 funding pattern and the Centre had released Rs 3.01 crore in May 2009. Under the project, there was a plan for the construction of two million litre per day (MLD) Sewage treatment plant (STP) for treating the sewage draining into the lake from nearby localities.
Nearly, 1.5 MLD of drain water from the upstream colonies Udainagar, Gowrishankar and Ambedkar Colony is released in to the lake every day. With no proper maintenance of the lake, the water in the lake has become a major concern for the nearby locals. Banjara Lake also known as Hamed Khan Kunta is situated at Road number 1, Banjara Hills abutting a star hotel.
The lake was constructed in 1930 during the Nizam period and has a great historical significance. The lake is spread over 4.3 hectare. HMWSSB Deputy General Manager (DGM) T Naveen Reddy said the project was delayed due to deadlock over the proposed site for the construction of STP and other problems faced by the local residents in Banjara Hills.
“We need orders from superiors to expedite works on the project,” he said. Despite best efforts, HMWSSB Executive Director M Satyanarayana did not pick up phone calls from The Hans India reporter who wanted to seek a clarification on the project.
