Delay in steps to protect Ramanthapur Lake irks HC, pulls up GHMC commissioner

Hyderabad: On Tuesday, the Telangana High Court reproached the Commissioner of GHMC D Ronald Rose, IAS, for the laid-back approach towards the preservation of Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu and the protection against encroachments.

The Chief Justice Court had earlier asked the GHMC commissioner to list the steps taken to protect the Ramanthapur Lake from realtors and others doing unauthorised construction in and around the water body. The commissioner replied that a letter was addressed to the state Revenue Department in 2016 along with a reminder at a later date.

The reply irked the Division Bench — comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice NV Shravan Kumar — which expressed displeasure on the casual approach shown.

“You have written a letter to the Revenue Department in 2016, followed by a reminder. You don’t even know the exact date on which the letter was written. In this meantime, did you want two or three builders to take up the construction work in the water body?” CJ Alok Aradhe asked the commissioner.

“Do not provoke us by giving such answers. We will take serious exception to your reply and recommend to the higher authority to initiate action against you for not performing your statutory duty. This petition has been pending since 2005 i.e., 18 years have passed, but you have not taken any action to safeguard the lake. You are shifting the burden to someone else. This issue pertains to the preservation of the water bodies, an issue that concerns the benefits for the future generations,” he said.

The contention of the GHMC Commissioner that he joined the post three months ago was brushed aside by the court which asked him not to shift blame onto other officials.

The Chief Justice also pulled up the government pleader for Revenue and the standing counsel for the GHMC, who failed to brief the commissioner on the issue because of which the commissioner could not give proper reply to the court.

CJ Alok Aradhe advised Ronald Rose not to depend on the government and lawyers, and prepare for the case by himself before appearing before the court.

Petition sought protection for 532 water bodies in Telangana

The Division Bench was adjudicating the writ petition No 4462 of 2005 filed by Professor KL Vyas and (Retd) HoD of the Hindi Department at Osmania University, seeking a direction to the state to take steps to protect the 532 water bodies in the state, including the 26 acres of Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu, from encroachment.

Further, the petitioner sought direction to the GHMC and other officials to ensure no garbage is dumped near the lake, which is causing contamination of groundwater, polluting the atmosphere, making the place infested with mosquitoes and leading to a foul smell.

The issues raised in the court regarding the protection of water bodies include the fencing of the Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu, steps to de-silt the water body and increase its water holding capacity, stop encroachments, restrain people from dumping contaminated garbage and effluents into the lake and control the menace of mosquitoes and stray dogs.

The commissioner informed the court that the FTL demarcation of the Ramanthapur lake has been done and the notification has to be issued by the HMDA.

The case was adjourned to October 12.