Hyderabad: MA&UD to launch clean up drive in lakes

Hyderabad: The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department will launch cleaning-up activities of lakes in the city. The MA&UD officials inspected Chandan Cheruvu, Mantrala Cheruvu and Pedda Cheruvu.

As the mercury rises, the department staff will clean lakes. Resident Welfare Associations and NGOs are being involved in the massive effort to clean up lakes in Malkajgiri, RC Puram, Serilingampally, Saroornagar, Meerpet, among others. As the department has decided to launch cleaning activities in the water bodies soon, MA&UD Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar's visit on Wednesday assumes significance.

Arvind Kumar, along with Minister Sabita Indra Reddy, and HMDA officials, inspected the lakes. They went round Chandan Cheruvu, Mantrala Cheruvu and Pedda Cheruvu. "The effort is aimed to clean the water bodies by removing hyacinth, silt and waste," said an official.

They also inspected works under the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) in Meerpet and Badangpet areas with a diversion channel of 5.7 km which ensured good maintenance.

As per officials, the development programme includes cleaning of lakes by de-silting in a planned and a phased manner, removing decade-old polluted silt from lake beds, divert existing water and plan bypass box drains/RCC lines to divert sewage to STP facilities, as a sustainable solution for all lakes.

Earlier this week, MA&UD officials took up inspection of lakes. On Monday Arvind Kumar, along with Malkajgiri MLA Mynampally Hanumanth Rao inspected the lakes at Banda Cheruvu and RK Puram Cheruvu in Malkajgiri, Chinnarayuni Cheruvu and Kotha Cheruvu in Alwal.

Arvind Kumar said on twitter that Minister for MA&UD K T Rama Rao had earlier instructed the department to take-up the lake cleaning drive.

"Visited Banda and RK Puram cheruvu in Malkajgiri and Chinnarayuni and Kotha Cheruvu in Alwal along with MLA Hanumanth Rao M and ZC Secunderabad ZC Kukatpally and officials from GHMC, HMDA and I&CAD, as per Minister K T Rama Rao advice. Will take up cleaning of these water bodies asap," he tweeted.