Hyderabad: Annarayani Cheruvu turns haven for encroachers

Hyderabad: The residents of Boduppal demanded the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to complete the development works of Annarayani Cheruvu lake in order to protect the water body from encroachments. They claimed that lake has not been fully restored or developed.

Due to the apathy of officials, the lake has been fully polluted and has also become a place for illegal encroachments. With continuous dumping of wastage and inflows of sewage the water body has turned into a cesspool. Even after the State government sanctioned Rs 120 crore for the beautification of 20 lakes in the city which also includes the Annarayani Cheruvu, works which were taken up are yet to be completed which has led to increase in encroachments around the lake.

According to the residents, the development work of the lake were either stopped or cancelled and could not be taken up due to various reasons cited by the authority.

Thrishul Reddy, a resident said, "The GHMC is developing several lakes across the city and providing facilities like walking tracks and other facilities. But here even after many announcements were made by the MLA and Corporators, not a single development work has been taken up. It seems the Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao is only focusing on development of the IR corridor and it's nearby areas, the other areas in the city have been completely ignored."

Although the authorities claimed to have taken up the development works of the lake, residents denied and urged the authorities to complete the development works and provide better environment by protecting the water body.

Moreover, the water body have also become a dumping ground for most of the people as many from different areas dump trash in it which leads to water overflow during rains. Residents are also scared of the lake water entering in the nearby houses.