Lake beautification plan put on hold for elections

The lake beautification project in the city has been all but stopped by the nodal agencies including the GHMC and the HMDA. In more than five months, no agency has even managed to mark the full tank levels before the lakes can be developed and beautified. Tenders were finalised for a few lakes, but the state went into election mode and nothing much can be done.

The apathy of officials has resulted in several lakes turning into cesspools, while others are on the verge of extinction.

In April, the state government had asked the GHMC and the HMDA to work on 44 lakes at an estimated cost of `541 crore.

Sources said emphasis was being laid on sewage diversion and preventing growth of water hyacinth. The agencies were to follow it up with beautification works and providing amenities such as toilet blocks, children’s play area, walking tracks, yoga and gym zones, a senior official of the GHMC’s lakes division said.Of the 44 lakes, the corporation will develop 19 lakes with an estimated cost of `282.63 crore complete them by next year.

Among the 19 lakes, Malka Cheruvu in Raidurg, Nallagandla Cheruvu in Nalagandla and Durgam Cheruvu in Madhapur were replaced with Raisamudram in RC Puram, Saroornagar lake in Saroornagar and Mir Alam tank in Bahadurpura as they were developed by different companies under corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Highly placed sources in the lakes wing said the authorities were misleading the courts. The High Court on September 26 and October 17 had asked the nodal agencies to prevent pollutants entering the lakes, and take up beautification later.

“The court wants the government to ensure that the lakes are resurrected, replenished and activated. Beautification is not important now. Select about 10 lakes and inform the court about the steps taken to retain its originality,” the court said.

Mr Y. Shekhar Reddy of the GHMC lakes department said that the agencies had decided to commence the development and beautification by September 10.

Even though tenders were finalised for 19 lakes, they cannot go ahead with the execution of works since neither the GHMC nor the HMDA had entered into an agreement prior to the dissolution on State Assembly on September 6. He said that the works will taken up immediately after the ensuing elections. Mr Reddy said the first phase would include preventing entry of sewage into the lakes.

The apathy of officials has resulted in several lakes turning into cesspools, while others are on the verge of extinction.