The Telangana High Court in Hyderabad.
| Photo Credit: File photo
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmed informed the High Court on Wednesday that illegal structures had come up in buffer zones of some of the 3,500 water bodies in HMDA jurisdiction.
Appearing before the High Court through video conferencing in a PIL petition over unauthorised structures in the buffer zone of Ramammakunta lake in Gachchibowli, he informed the court that a preliminary notification about buffer zones of 2,525 lakes out of the 3,532 in HMDA’s territorial jurisdiction had already been issued. He explained that there is difficulty in notifying the buffer zones of the other water bodies due to factors like illegal structures and court cases. A final notification with regard to 230 lakes has also been issued.
The Bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, hearing the PIL plea, directed the Commissioner to initiate steps for issuing preliminary notification about buffer zones of the remaining lakes. A report in this regard should be filed by November 4 when the matter would be heard again.
Two days ago, the Bench directed the HMDA Commissioner to appear before it through video conferencing after expressing dissatisfaction over the failure of the authorities to act upon the High Court’s direction issued a year ago to notify Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zones of all water bodies in HMDA’s jurisdiction. The High Court’s order to notify buffer zones was issued while adjudicating the PIL petition related to Ramammakunta lake.
Responding to a query from the Bench about the alleged unauthorised structures built by the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management within buffer zone of Ramammakunta lake, Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy assured the Bench that they would be removed.
