Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday vowed to remove encroachments on lakes and ponds in and around Hyderabad and made it clear that the government will not succumb to pressure.
He said the government was determined to protect water bodies as they are vital to meet the water requirements of people.
The Chief Minister’s warning to encroachers came a day after the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Authority (HYDRA) demolished a convention centre belonging to popular actor Nagarjuna in the Madhapur area.
The N-Convention Centre was allegedly built on Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zone land of Thammidikunta Lake.
Speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of Hare Krishna Heritage Tower, Revanth Reddy stated that Nizam developed Hyderabad as a lake city hundreds of years ago. He voiced concern that farmhouses have been built for luxuries in the vicinity of lakes and ponds which quenched the thirst of crores of people.
The Chief Minister said wastewater from farmhouses is being discharged into Gandipet (Osman Sagar) and Himayat Sagar reservoirs, which provide drinking water to the city.
He observed that protecting water bodies and the city is the responsibility of everyone and more so the elected public representatives.
“This is the reason our government started protecting the lakes from encroachments through HYDRAA,” he said.
The Chief Minister also remarked that inspired by Lord Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna in the Kurukshetra battle, his government would fight against the encroachment of lakes. He made it clear that this is not a political campaign.
“The government has undertaken this initiative with a will to provide better lives to future generations. We will not succumb to the pressure and will take stringent action against the encroachers,” he said.
The Chief Minister said if the natural assets were destroyed, the human population would face nature’s fury.
HYDRA, constituted by the state government last month, has been demolishing illegal structures in and around the city to reclaim the encroached land of lakes, ponds, and other water bodies.
Revanth Reddy claimed that his government stands for righteousness in the spirit of Lord Krishna’s teachings.
He made it clear that the government would not hesitate to demolish unauthorised structures of even those who are part of the government.
Revanth Reddy said the government accorded priority to education and healthcare. He requested the Hare Krishna Foundation to provide food in Osmania, Gandhi, NIMS and Cancer Hospitals and assured necessary facilities from the government.
The Chief Minister stated that the heritage tower will provide spiritual teachings in the concrete jungle. The tower, which is being constructed at a height of 430 feet, is a pride of Telangana, he said.
The construction of this tower will be completed in 36 to 40 months.
–IANS