Illegal encroachment in Hussainsagar FTL razed

Encroachers had laid roads and barricaded the area

Taking cognizance of a report published in Deccan Chronicle, ‘Over 10 acres in Hussainsagar FTL encroached’ (January 25), the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) swung into action on Saturday and razed the illegal layout constructed in the full tank level of the lake. The state government took serious note of the report and instructed the corporation officials to take stern action.

GHMC commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar, in an official release, said that the civic body has demolished the structures.

“As per the instructions of the government to take immediate action on the illegal encroachments on water bodies, the zonal commissioner and town planning staff officials demolished the structures with JCBs,” Mr Kumar said. He said there was no scope for any mercy for illegal structures raised on government lands, lakes, ponds and they would be demolished immediately and criminal action will be initiated against the offenders.

The report highlighted the encroachment of 10 acres of the full tank level (FTL) of the lake on the Necklace Road side, along the Kukatpally nala.

The encroachers had

laid roads and barricaded the area, which is not visible from the ground but can be seen in satellite images. The report verified the encroachments with documents from the Catchment Area Development (I&CAD) office at Secunderabad. Plotting had been done at the site, tar roads laid, barricades put up and construction work is underway.

The area was denoted as ‘pillars A279 to A287’ as per the ‘draft’ FTL map given by the North Tanks Division of I&CAD. Neither the GHMC nor the HMDA were aware of the encroachment and illegal constructions.