Hyderabad's charm comes from its rocks, parks, and lakes, but encroachments have diminished these features, leading to flooding risks during heavy rains, the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Published Oct 08, 2024 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 08, 2024 | 7:19 PM
Telangana government's aim to reclaim encroached water bodies
The Telangana government has pledged to eliminate encroachments on water bodies in and around Hyderabad, following revelations that 491 of the 920 identified lakes and tanks have been fully or partially encroached over the past two decades.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka emphasised the government’s commitment to reclaiming these vital resources using advanced Geospatial Technology.
The Hindu reported a little while ago that, during a recent interaction, Vikramarka announced that the Telangana Remote Sensing Applications Centre (TGRAC) spearheaded the mapping and identification of encroachments using historical geospatial datasets from before 2014 and after the formation of Telangana State.
The Deputy Chief Minister stated, “We will use cutting-edge technology to reclaim our water bodies and ensure they are free from illegal encroachments.”
The TGRAC has utilised remote sensing and GIS techniques to delineate water bodies within Hyderabad and extending to the Outer Ring Road (ORR). By examining revenue village Cadastral Maps, administrative boundaries, and satellite imagery from 2014 and 2023, the agency aims to create a comprehensive digital database to identify and demarcate these critical resources.
Fully encroached waterbody according to the TGRAC report
Vikramarka presented alarming statistics regarding the encroachment of water bodies. As of 2014, there were 417 water bodies within GHMC limits, of which 182 were fully encroached.
By 2023, this number rose to 193 full encroachments. Meanwhile, between GHMC and ORR, the situation has similarly deteriorated, with fully encroached water bodies increasing from 62 to 89 over the same period.
The Deputy Chief Minister criticised past administrations for failing to protect Hyderabad’s lakes and rivers.
“Is it not a fact that the former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, former Minister KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao talked big on protecting lakes and that stern measures would be taken to prevent encroachments when they were in power?” Bhatti said.
He asserted that the current Congress government is dedicated to restoring these natural resources for future generations.
“Lakes do not belong to individual politicians; they belong to the people of Hyderabad,” he declared. “We must act now to stop the ongoing encroachments before it’s too late.”
Summary of the area of tanks and Encroachment in acres
Vikramarka stated that the TGRAC report would facilitate phased removal of illegal structures encroaching on these water bodies. He urged community involvement in preserving these assets, emphasising that safeguarding Hyderabad’s lakes is a collective responsibility.
Partly encroached waterbody according to the TGRAC report
Encroachments over the past decade (2014-2023)
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
