Fading boundaries: Encroachments, sewage choke Amber Cheruvu

Time of India

3 days ago

Hyderabad: The fate of Amber Cheruvu hangs in the balance due to encroachments and sewage. It wasn't too long ago that a man bought a plot of land for Rs 6 crore, only to realise he'd acquired a piece of the Amber Cheruvu.
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The incident forced authorities to finally mark the Full Tank Level (FTL) of the lake. However, while the paperwork may now reflect where the lake begins, the ground reality tells another story, one where the lakebed continues to vanish under a steady stream of debris and unchecked construction, as builders push boundaries, quite literally.
The construction over the years has also led to a functional road between the water body, leading to its division into two lakes — Amber Cheruvu and Pragati Nagar Lake.
"A sewage treatment plant (STP) project launched two years ago came to a halt after nearby colonies resisted pipeline work. As a result, raw sewage continues to gush into the water body, turning it into a toxic cesspool. You can barely stand near it," said Sandeep Raj, a resident of the area.
The extent of the combined twin lake boundary is currently at 162 acres. In 2024, a report on the condition of 13 lakes across different locations of the city was submitted by the two-member committee of advocate commissioners to the high court.
Amber Cheruvu was one of them. The report revealed extensive encroachments on the FTL and the buffer zone, along with various sewage inlets polluting the lakes. The committee, in its report, also shared details of the fencing around the lakes, walking tracks, CCTV cameras, and sewerage treatment.
"There are five encroachments on the FTL and 105 in the buffer zone. Fencing is not completed even on the main roadside, Ring Bund, though completed, but the walking track is not laid.
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Cameras are not available, and no lake guards were observed on site. Sewage diversion is not completed. The lake is seen dumped with garbage and sewage water, and the lake has a pungent odour and foul smell," the report read.
"In 2014, a preliminary notification was issued, but there was no update on it afterwards. The lake channel connectivity between Ambar Cheruvu and Yellamma Cheruvu near Jayanagar in Kukatpally has almost eroded, owing to the unregulated construction activity.
Fixing FTL is not the end; making sure that it is not encroached again is important," said Lubna Sarwath, an environmentalist.
Adding to the danger is a narrow strip of road that separates the two lakes. With no barricades on either side, it remains exposed and unsafe, particularly during rains when the lakes swell and visibility drops. Locals worry it's only a matter of time before an accident occurs.
Over the years, the twin lakes have caught the attention of officials more than once. But for the people living around them, not much has changed. "Residents say they are grappling with daily health and safety concerns, from clouds of mosquitoes to the overpowering smell that refuses to go away. The problem becomes serious during the monsoon as it floods our cellar. Mosquitoes swarm into the house by 6 pm, and we've even had snakes enter the compound," said Sharon D, a 25-year-old resident of the area.
"We have fixed its FTL and even submitted all the information with the report last year, but we need to check if fresh encroachments have come up," said an official from HMDA.