Hyderabad – The city with 3000+ lakes then, Will no longer survive heavy rains from now on…!!!

Hyderabad – The city with 3000+ lakes then, Will no longer survive heavy rains from now on…!!!

-

Garrepally Akash

During 1990s to mid-2000s; the state government ruling the united Andhra Pradesh then, has decided to convert all the lakes less than 10 hectares of land to residential and commercial zones. This move by the government has led to an extreme demand for real estate in the region and now there are merely 185 lakes left within GHMC [Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation] region.

HYDERABAD – 1990 Credits – Google Earth

HYDERABAD – 2020 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

1

Since then the lakes of Hyderabad region have been fed with garbage, sewage, industrial waste and made them sick and reduced their capacity and some were completely landfilled for real estate.

Since the boom of real estate in 1990s – 2000s, people started taking the bad governance of these lakes as an advantage to encroach the land around the lakes leaving no buffer or set back space for the lakes to breathe during monsoons and this has been resulting in flooding the surrounding areas even during slightly heavy rains. This encroachment can be clearly seen around Saroonagar Lake, Gurram Cheruvu, Salkam Cheruvu, Umda Cheruvu, Palle Cheruvu.

Saroornagar Lake – In 1626, the lake was created for agricultural and drinking purposes. Spread over 99 acres (40 ha), the lake has a maximum depth of 6.1 meters (20 ft.).

Saroornagar Lake in year 2000. Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

2

Saroornagr Lake in year – 2005 Credits – Google Earth

Saroornagr Lake in year – 2010 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

3

Saroornagr Lake in year – 2015 Credits – Google Earth

Saroornagr Lake in year – 2020 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

4

A building along the Saroornagar Lake with no enough set back from the lake

Sewage and garbage getting discharged in to the lake and dry waste being burnt on the banks of the lake.

GARREPALLY AKASH

5

Gurram Cheruvu – More than 50 per cent of the lake is covered with water hyacinth, which is mainly due to the sewerage released by the colonies that have sprung up on the area encroached by dumping landfills into the lake. That has also severely depleted the aquatic life of the lake.

Gurram Cheruvu in year 2000 Credits – Google Earth

Gurram Cheruvu in year 2005 Credits – Google Earth GARREPALLY AKASH

6

Gurram Cheruvu in year 2010 Credits – Google Earth

Gurram Cheruvu in year 2015 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

7

Gurram Cheruvu in year 2020 Credits – Google Earth

Damaged Lake Embankment during recent floods

GARREPALLY AKASH

8

Sheds built in the encroached land of Gurram Cherruvu

Slum settlements right next to the lake, this position makes their lives dangerous during monsoons.

GARREPALLY AKASH

9

Salkam Cheruvu –

Salkam Cheruvu in year 2000 Credits – Google Earth

Salkam Cheruvu in year 2005 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

10

Salkam Cheruvu in year 2010 Credits – Google Earth

Salkam Cheruvu in year 2015 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

11

Salkam Cheruvu in year 2020 Credits – Google Earth

Unnecessary land fillings in the lake in the name of lake development.

GARREPALLY AKASH

12

Construction of a medical college on the marsh lands of Salkam Cheruvu.

Umda Sagar Lake – Umda Sagar Lake is located in the midst of Old City Hyderabad, India. The lake is one of four within Hyderabad, along with Shamirpet, Mir Alam, and Hussain Sagar (the last being largest at 275 km2). In 1954 the lake was described as being 8 miles south of the city.

Umda Sagar Lake in year 2000 Credits – Google Earth GARREPALLY AKASH

13

Umda Sagar Lake in year 2005 Credits – Google Earth

Umda Sagar Lake in year 2010 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

14

Umda Sagar Lake in year 2015 Credits – Google Earth

Umda Sagar Lake in year 2020 Credits – Google Earth

GARREPALLY AKASH

15

Houses built by Low Income Families in the encroached land, this location makes their lives impossible during monsoons as this lake is located at the top of the network of the lakes built to manage the flooding of the river Musi.

Palle Cheruvu GARREPALLY AKASH

16

Palle Cheruvu in the year 2000

GARREPALLY AKASH

Credits – Google Earth

17

GARREPALLY AKASH

Palle Cheruvu in the year 2005

Credits – Google Earth

Palle Cheruvu in the year 2010

Credits – Google Earth

18

GARREPALLY AKASH

Palle Cheruvu in the year 2015

Credits – Google Earth

Palle Cheruvu in the year 2020

Credits – Google Earth

19

A gated community being built on the marsh lands of Palle cheruvu. This lake is on the top most effected location during the Hyderabad 2020 floods.

GARREPALLY AKASH

20

No precautions being taken to prevent the rapidly growing water weeds in the lake which makes the water in the lake unusable for any purpose.

Nature’s answer to the uncontrolled and foolish encroachment of its lakes – On October 13-14, the tri-city — Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Cyberabad — an extent of 650 sq. km, got battered with an all-time record rainfall of 29.8 cms in 24 hours. Due to uncontrolled encroachment and landfilling of lakes has led to flooding of many parts of Hyderabad during the same time of heavy rains in October 2020. It is believed that the floods of 2020 were the worst floods in last 100 years.

GARREPALLY AKASH

21

GARREPALLY AKASH

22

GARREPALLY AKASH

23

It’s too late; but let’s not give up, lets wake up to protect our dear nature which hasn’t given upon us yet.

GARREPALLY AKASH

24