With a view to protecting and preserving water bodies, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has invited interested individuals, voluntary and corporate organisations to adopt lakes in and around the city.
Speaking to presspersons here on Wednesday, HMDA Commissioner Neerabh Kumar Prasad said 176 lakes in the jurisdiction of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and another 325 water bodies in the erstwhile Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) area were open for adoption.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been drafted for interested stakeholders and an Expression of Interest (EoI) inviting interested parties to be part of lake protection exercise would be available from Thursday.
Responsibilities
A draft MoU detailing the responsibilities of those adopting lakes have been prepared.
“Those adopting a water body will have to protect the lake up to its Full Tank Level and buffer zone, including its inlets and outlets through constant vigil by employing suitable watch and ward,” he said.
They would also have to bear the expenditure involved, Mr. Prasad said, adding that required technical assistance would be provided by the HMDA.
Three-year period
The adoption would be for a period of three years and those interested can contact the HMDA before May 31. Details are available on the HMDA’s official website www.hmda.gov.in .
Mr. Prasad said the Master Plan analysis using old topo-sheets showed a total of 2,845 lakes in the HMDA extended area and the respective revenue officials were asked to form joint teams to make a study of them. These include 906 lakes in Ranga Reddy district, 1,454 in Medak, 342 in Nalgonda district and 143 lakes in Mahbubnagar district parts which fall in the HMDA jurisdiction.
