Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy vowed on Sunday to remove encroachments on lakes and ponds in and around Hyderabad, emphasising that the government will not give in to pressure.
He stated that the government was dedicated to protecting water bodies, which are critical to addressing people’s (water) needs.
The Chief Minister’s warning to encroachers came a day after the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Authority (HYDRA) razed a convention facility owned by renowned actor Nagarjuna in the Madhapur area.
The N-Convention Centre was reportedly built on Full Tank Level (FTL) and Thammidikunta Lake buffer zone land.
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Revanth Reddy, speaking at the Hare Krishna Heritage Tower foundation-laying ceremony, remarked that Nizam constructed Hyderabad as a lake city hundreds of years ago. He expressed worry that luxurious farmhouses had been built near lakes and ponds that quenched the thirst of crores of people.
The Chief Minister stated that farmhouse wastewater is being released into the Gandipet (Osman Sagar) and Himayat Sagar lakes, which supply drinking water to the city.
He emphasised that protecting water bodies and the city is everyone’s responsibility, particularly elected public leaders.
“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 was 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 stated that the human population would face nature’s wrath if natural resources were destroyed.
HYDRA, established by the state government last month, has been demolishing unlawful structures in and around the city to reclaim encroached territory for lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water.
Revanth Reddy asserted that his government represents righteousness in the spirit of Lord Krishna’s teachings.
He made it plain that the government will not hesitate to remove unauthorised structures, including those of government officials.
Revanth Reddy stated that the government prioritised education and healthcare. He asked the Hare Krishna Foundation to offer food in Osmania, Gandhi, NIMS, and Cancer Hospitals and told them that the government would provide the required infrastructure.
The Chief Minister said the heritage tower, which is being constructed at a height of 430 feet, will provide spiritual teachings in the concrete jungle. He said the tower is a pride of Telangana.
The construction of this tower will be completed in 36 to 40 months.
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–IANS
