Background
Durgam Cheruvu, with an area of 25.23 Hectares, is known for its natural beauty and scenic surroundings and received the INTACH Award 1998. The Rocks around Durgam Cheruvu are under HUDA Heritage protection as Heritage Precinct No.1, since March 1998. And more areas in the vicinity of Durgam Cheruvu are notified as Precinct No. 15. All development activities in notified Precincts need to be approved by the V.C HUDA & the Heritage Conservation Committee.
HUDA Notification dated 4-5-2000, listing 169 lakes, which includes Durgam Cheruvu, declares that the entire areas, falling within the Full Tank Level (FTL) of the lakes as per the Survey of India Maps, must be kept free from any type of constructions, irrespective of ownership or any land use or Master/Zonal Development Plans that may have been previously notified. In addition, a buffer belt of 30 meter width on all sides of each lake must be kept free from all types of construction.
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AP High Court Directive
A P .High Court in its Order of 20-7-2001 on WP.No.36929 of 1998, directed APPCB, HMWS&SB and the Commissioner, Serilingampalli Municipality, regarding protection of Durgam Cheruvu, to discharge their respective duties and functions under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1989 strictly in accordance with the provisions of those statues.
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The Court also directed that a copy of the order be transmitted to the Chief Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh to monitor the functions and duties of the above authorities/agencies in protecting the environment of Durgam Cheruvu.
Ground Realities
The untreated domestic sewage from the near by residential colonies /complexes. IT parks etc. that have come up in the full tank level (FTL) area, as well as the upstream area of the lake continue to be discharged into the lake, as the domestic sewage generated in the area is estimated to be much more than 5 MLD capacity of STP set up and the alternate arrangements to handle the excess quantity are not in place
In spite of High Court directive not to permit any more residential colonies in the vicinity or catchment area of the lake to come up, the residential complexes/buildings have come up within the full tank level area of the lake itself. The inventory of buildings that have come up in FTL area and around Durgam Cheruvu during last 12 years will speak for itself regarding the failure of State Administration.
High Court Intervention
As the State Administration failed to act for protection of Durgam Cheruvu, even after a lapse of 8 years, the High Court had taken W.P. W.P.No 24077 of 2009 suo motto, based on a news item published in the News Paper "The Hindu" dated 03-11-2009 about dumping of construction material near Durgam Cheruvu.
The High Court in its Order dated 2-12-2009 impleaded HMDA as Respondent and directed to appoint a Committee to identify the encroachments within Durgam Cheruvu and to take necessary action to prevent dumping of building material and to plan for clearing the material already dumped. Accordingly G.O.No 12 dated 08-01-2010 was issued appointing the Committee for taking steps required for protection & reclaiming the encroached lands in Durgam Cheruvu
But nothing much seems to have happened during the last three and half years, either to prevent and / or identify the encroachments in FTL area of Durgam Cheruvu and to prevent discharge of untreated / under treated domestic sewage and other effluents into it. The authorities "See No Evil", "Hear No Evil" , but Keep Doing It.
Durgam Cheruvu & APTDC--"Something Fishy" ?
The location of Tourism and Recreation spots near water bodies can adversely affect them through alteration and destruction during development activities as well as through the direct impact caused by recreates and tourists. They can also affect the environment by putting additional pressure on local infrastructure facilities such as roads, water supply, sewage system etc. threatening environmental degradation of water bodies. The danger posed by tourism projects to ecosystem is demonstrated amply in and around Hussain Sagar
The present proposal of APTDC to "facelift"/ "lake lift" Durgam Cheruvu by beautification of the lake environs, hill tops and development of Bar & Restaurant called "Something Fishy" appears to be really Fishy and Durgam Cheruvu may be doomed forever This is in contravention of the stipulation that no construction activity is permitted in and around the water body, except open to sky jetties for boating, platforms for fishing and rain shelters and snack bars each not exceeding 10 Sq.Mtrs in area and not exceeding four in numbers around one water body.
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