The Hindu                 30.05.2013

A shot at a clear water solution

The GHMC, which has taken up a programme for the preservation of 128 lakes within its boundaries, has decided to take up an initiative to clean up at least 60 of these in the first phase, according to GHMC Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu.

A private consultant, Aarvee Associates, has been appointed to make detailed project reports for taking up the clean-up programme, and once the reports come, it will be posed to the Central Government for seeking funds under the National Lakes Conservation Plan (NLCP).

The expectation from the civic body is that the Centre under the NLCP will allot nearly Rs. 200 crore in the first phase and work will be completed in five years. The Municipal Corporation has already initiated steps to put up chain link fences for all the identified water bodies, and the work is to be taken up in 64 of them as the full tank levels (FTL) have been demarcated by the Irrigation Department. In the first phase, the chain link fence will be constructed around 13 lakes located in various parts of the capital at a cost of Rs. 4.3 crore. The lakes chosen for fencing, includes Pedda Cheruvu at Gangaram in Serlingampally, Khaidamma Kunta at Hafeezpet, Erla Cheruvu at Madeenaguda, Nallagandla lake at Nallagandla, Sunnam Cheruvu under Kukatpally circle, Ranganayaka Cheruvu and Malkam Cheruvu at Raidurga under the Kukatpally circle.

He also pointed out that the HMDA had put up around 176 lakes for adoption by corporate bodies for a three-year period as part of their corporate social responsibility. A couple of months ago, the Commissioner had also held a meeting with the Ranga Reddy Collector when quite a few significant decisions were made. The Deputy Commissioners and Tahsildars of the respective areas have been made team leaders of both the departments for demarcating boundaries and fixing pillars.