Malka Cheruvu in Raidurg has shrunk in size due to encroachments. (Right) Fencing and buildings that have com... Read More

HYDERABAD: It’s not just government land parcels which are sitting on a scam time-bomb, even the lakes in Hyderabad are up for grabs. There are bigger Miyapur-like irregularities happening in cheruvus with irrigation officials in GHMC allegedly redrawing maps of lakes to benefit realty sharks.

For instance, GHMC (Lakes North Tank division) has been providing two different lake maps for Malka Cheruvu near Raidurg with different Full tank level (FTL) demarcations. Residents of the area allege the new lake maps were created by officials, particularly to protect properties built illegally in the FTL area of the lake.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) recently took up beautification work around Malka Cheruvu, including construction of a walkway and fencing. But questions were raised after some residents of the area exposed the civic body saying that two lake maps were being provided. They felt this was being done to confuse people who raise objections.

ToI is in possession of these two maps of Malka Cheruvu. One map, which was procured by an individual under the Right to Information Act ( RTI ), has signatures of officials from the GHMC’s irrigation and revenue wings. The GHMC also has details, including survey number of the area falling on the lake bed in Raidurg village.

Another map, which was allegedly prepared to benefit some builders and influential people, does not have any official signatures except one by an assistant engineer of lakes division. It also lacks survey numbers that fall under the lake’s spread.

All the 170 lakes in the GHMC jurisdiction were surveyed by a consultant under the supervision of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority ( HMDA ), GHMC, revenue and irrigation departments. Each of the maps is expected to be signed by all the officials concerned. But the second version of the Malka Cheruvu map has only one signature.

“Some houses have come up in the Malka Cheruvu shikham area occupying 16 acres of the lake. Buildings were raised by filling the lake area and roads have been laid on the western side of the lake. Now, GHMC officials have changed the lake map, in which the entire lake has been pushed to the East to protect the buildings on the lake bed,” said BV Subba Reddy, a plot owner at Sai Ratna Phase I.

Some owners said Google coordinates provided by the maps do not match those on the ground. “If the government wants to acquire our land in the buffer zone, they have to pay compensation,” G Rama Murthy, another resident of Raidurg, said.

Some social activists such as Lubna Sarwath of Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL) also alleged that Malka Cheruvu has shrunk by four acres due to the laying of road inside the lake and construction of the walkway. The activists said these constructions have obstructed inflows into the lake.

When contacted, GHMC chief engineer K Suresh Kumar said the map signed by all the departments concerned is the genuine one and that he was not aware of any other lake map.

“I have received similar complaint from a resident. The corporation will inquire into it,” the chief engineer said.

