Where are the lakes, questions Lokayukta

Justice Subhashan Reddy takes umbrage to apathy of babudom in protecting water bodies and lakes in and around Hyderabad

June 13, 2013 01:18 am | Updated November 17, 2021 04:34 am IST - HYDERABAD:

Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh, Justice B. Subhashan Reddy, on Wednesday blamed government servants at every level for the utter neglect and failure in protecting the city lakes.

He regretted that none of the officials, right from the village Sarpanch to the district Collector, have displayed any interest in taking measures to conserve the water bodies.

“When I was a child, I still clearly remember seeing the waves of Hussainsagar lash the walls of secretariat and the Mint Compound. We used to swim in the Hussainsagar. These days, we can’t even imagine touching its waters. What are the public servants in Hyderabad taking salaries for?” the Lokayukta asked.

Delivering a keynote lecture on the occasion of the third annual day celebrations of Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL) on Wednesday, he called upon the public to take a stand and report instances of wrongdoing.

“We will not rest for even a minute if private persons try to illegally occupy our land but we remain mute spectators to such instances when it comes to public properties. There is an urgent need for creating awareness among public that our future generations need water bodies,” Justice Subhashan Reddy said. Metropolitan Commissioner, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, Neerabh Kumar Prasad, said all-out efforts are on to properly demarcate the boundaries of all the capital lakes.

“We will put up the proposed lake demarcations on our websites and seek public opinion. We are also collaborating with SOUL, BITS Pilani and Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board to take up study of industrial pollution of Kukatpally nala. We are honest in our attempts to conserve the lakes in Hyderabad,” he claimed.

Office-bearers of Save Our Urban Lakes including its founder Jasveen Jairath, were present.

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