Karimnagar residents demand action against encroachments on lake

Karimnagar: Several public organisations including residents urged the state government to protect water bodies from land sharks in Karimnagar district. Illegal structures including apartments, convention halls, warehouses, temples and villas have come up in Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zones of several lakes and tanks in the district. Out of 74 lakes and tanks on the outskirts of Karimnagar town, 35 lakes and tanks have been reported while the rest have disappeared due to encroachments by land mafia.

Gopalpur Lake, once a water source and lifeline for Karimnagar town, was spread over 28.10 acres. However, it has now shrunk to just 15 acres. Most of the land has been filled up and used for Haritha Haram by the Indian Medical Association.

The land mafia has sold much of its land as real estate for the construction of convention halls and warehouses. The land sharks have not spared even the nalas leading to Gopalpur Lake.

In Sitarampur village, Mellakunta Cheruvu villas were built and even a temple was built in Palasamudram lake. The construction of high-rise apartments has wiped out Orakunta lake, which spreads over 8.02 acres in Teegala Guttapalli village.

All India Forward Block District General Secretary Bandari Shekar said the land sharks, in collusion with several government officials, invaded the Brahmani Kunta Lake on the outskirts of Choppadandi Municipality.

Officials gave patta for six acres to a political leader while the land mafia occupied a large part of a lake catchment area to sell it as real estate, he added.

Several buildings were constructed in the FTL and buffer zones of Mathadi cheruvu, Surappa cheruvu, Tumma cheruvu, Bhimanna cheruvu and Maredukunta lake in the surrounding villages of Kondagattu temple in Maliala mandal of Jagtial district.

Officials gave permission to land sharks by taking millions of rupees. These people converted the land into plots and passed them on to innocent people.

Irrigation Department Deputy Engineer Tirupati said the issue of illegal construction in the FTL and buffer zones of certain lakes has come under the spotlight. Revenue department officials have been directed to conduct surveys and fix boundaries of lakes.

In Rajanna Sircilla district, a district court ordered the removal of a shopping mall. Based on the court’s order, the mall was demolished.

The locals urged the Congress government to form a HYDRAA-like unit in the district to protect government lands, including lakes and tanks.