SCB on Tuesday resolved to give Ramannakunta lake a new lease of life, however, efforts to rope in the Telangana State government for the restoration have for now taken a backseat.
According to official sources, Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao had agreed to place the lake under its flagship Mission Kakatiya programme if necessary permits are obtained. These include Local Military Authority’s (LMA) nod as the seven-acre lake in Bapuji Nagar stands on A1 Defence Land. Such lands are under active occupation of armed forces and managed by LMA.
Earlier, SCB had de-silted the lake and attempted preventing waste dumping but efforts to prevent encroachments proved inadequate even as sewerage diversion plans are yet to be implemented. The TS Government is prepared to give as much as Rs. 1 crore to clean the lake and develop its environs.
Plan also is to divert sewerage, have a park around the lake with a walking track. Inflow of sewerage from nearly 150 colonies is the biggest restoration task to revive the lake. While more than one acre of the lake is said to be encroached, the hope is to salvage what remains by fencing it.
Army authorities informed the meeting on Tuesday that sewerage works can be taken up but for any sort of construction or development and funds from other agencies, Ministry of Defence nod is a must. For now, elected members decided to tackle sewerage works alone and prepare a proposal for other works later.
