Telangana HC wants Durgam Cheruvu FTL details by Sept 23

Hyderabad: Wondering why there is a huge difference between the claims of the state and Kavuri Hills residents on the actual extent of Durgam Cheruvu in Madhapur, Telangana high court on Friday directed the irrigation and municipal administration officials to furnish to the court full tank level (FTL) particulars of the lake by Sept 23.
A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao was hearing two pleas filed by L Urmila Devi and Boda Priyatham Reddy, residents of Amar Cooperative Housing Society in Kavuri Hills near Durgam Cheruvu.The petitioners raised an objection over the claims of the state govt, which was giving the extent of the lake at 160 acres.
Petitioners' counsel P Roy Reddy said the irrigation records show that the lake area was not more than 65 acres. "But the officials are unduly putting the extent of the lake at 160 acres and disturbing the residents," he said.
The bench wanted to know whether there was any procedure to fix the FTL of a lake. Though Roy Reddy referred to a 2015 report prepared by the officials, the bench said that if there was no law governing the area, then the state govt should follow the procedure prescribed in Mantri Tech Zone case judgment pronounced by the Supreme Court.
In that verdict, the apex court had said that in such cases there should not be any constructions around 50-metre area in and around the lake.
The bench sought to know from the state govt how field-level officials would prevent people from raising constructions in front of lakes. Some may even raise constructions just abutting Hussain Sagar lake seeking a lake view, the bench said.
"Whether you have any law or procedure to fix FTL? Whether you have followed this in fixing the FTL of Durgam Cheruvu? Tell us by Monday," the bench told the govt.
The bench also reminded the state counsel of its previous order that directed Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority and officials to fix FTLs of all the lakes under HMDA jurisdiction.