City court backs HYDRAA arguments, dismisses private ownership claim on Bathukamma Kunta land

Hyderabad: In a significant legal victory for the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (Hydraa), the City Civil Court on Tuesday backed the agency's claim in the Bathukamma Kunta case, dismissing private ownership claims to the Lake.

The court dismissed BRS leader Aedla Sudhakar Reddy's civil petition, which claimed that Bathukamma Kunta was not a pond and that the land belonged to him.

Hence, the HYDRAA’s argument in the Bathukamma Kunta case has been proven true before the judiciary. Advocates who appeared before the court on behalf of the HYDRAA made strong arguments on Bathukamma Kunta based on revenue records, village maps, satellite images and Survey of India records.

Verdict boost to HYDRAA

After nearly a month of arguments, City Civil Court Judge M Venkateswara Rao delivered the verdict, granting life to Bathukamma Kunta. This verdict has put a stop to the development work of Bathukamma Kunta. This verdict has given a boost to HYDRAA, which has begun the development of lakes in the city.

It is noteworthy that HYDRAA has undertaken the first phase of the development of six lakes in the city. Bathukamma Kunta is one of these six lakes. HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath welcomed the verdict. He also commended the efforts of HYDRAA, HMDA and GHMC Standing Council members K Anilkumar, S Srinivas, B Ajay, government lawyer B Janardhan, HYDRAA legal advisor Srinivas and his associate lawyers, who presented arguments on behalf of the agency.

HYDRAA discovers a secret water source during excavation at the disappeared Bathukamma Kunta

On February 18, HYDRAA discovered a secret water source during excavation to restore Bathukamma Kunta in Amberpet. When workers excavated a portion of the land where the lake is claimed to have existed, water began to ooze out at a depth of four feet.

Aedla Sudhaker Reddy argued that the land belongs to him there is no sign of Bathukamma Kunta. According to the 1962-63 census, the area of Bathukamma Kunta in Survey No. 563 of Bagh Amberpet, Amberpet Mandal, is 14.06 acres, while the total area, including the buffer zone, is 16.13 acres. Due to encroachments, the Bathukamma Kunta Bakka was reduced to only 5.15 acres.

Local support to HYDRAA

The locals approached HYDRAA to develop the Bathukamma Kunta. Considering their plea, Ranganath inspected the site and said that the lake would be developed in a location that would not encroach on the existing residential areas. This earned HYDRAA full support from the locals.

Locals celebrated the court’s verdict on Tuesday. They also urged HYDRAA to take immediate action and complete the lake development work by the rainy season. The locals also offered their full cooperation to HYDRAA to develop the lake so that the upcoming Bathukamma celebrations can be held there.