Hyderabad – A prominent Congress leader, Kicchannagari Laxma Reddy, also known as KLR, has been accused of illegally encroaching on a large portion of the Surram or Surya Rao Cheruvu lake in Mankhal village, Rangareddy district. The encroachment, which has sparked outrage among local villagers, appears to be a well-planned operation aimed at transforming the area into a lucrative real estate venture.
The encroachment involved converting the flood flow passage from upstream areas into a concrete zone, occupying nearly 50% of the lake’s area. This illegal development, which is close to the Srisailam Highway, has raised serious concerns about the potential impact on the region’s natural water flow and flood management systems.
One of the most alarming aspects of this case is the failure of officials to mark the Full Tank Level (FTL) of the lake, which covers an area of 60 acres. Without a clearly defined FTL, the boundaries of the lake have been encroached upon, allowing the real estate project, initially developed as KLR Giga Citi and later upgraded to Vertex – KLR Giga Citi, to expand further into the lake area.
Surram Cheruvu, located in the Mankhal revenue village, spans 40.20 acres in survey number 139 and 20.12 acres in survey number 140. During heavy rains and floods, water from upstream areas such as the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and Pahadishareef flows into this lake. However, with the ongoing encroachment, the natural flow of water into the lake has been obstructed, raising concerns about the potential for future flooding.
The encroachment initially involved the laying of cement pipelines, but when villagers protested, box drains were constructed instead. However, these drains do not extend to the lake area, leaving questions about how rainwater from upstream areas will reach the lake.
Villagers have also complained that the lake, which originally spanned 60 acres, has now shrunk to nearly half its size due to the encroachment. Despite the venture’s proximity to the Srisailam highway, irrigation officials have failed to take action or fix the FTL for the lake.
When questioned, Irrigation DEE BD Naik claimed that a survey of all lakes had been conducted and the FTL had been established. However, he did not provide specific details about the Surram Cheruvu.
According to a report from the irrigation department, revenue records confirm that Surram Cheruvu is spread over 60 acres. Tukkuguda Municipality Vice Chairman Bhavani Venkat Reddy, who is also a Congress leader, emphasized the need to reclaim and restore the lake area to prevent potential flooding in neighboring areas. The ongoing encroachment, if left unchecked, could lead to significant environmental and community impacts.
