BJP slams govt over scrapping of G.O. 111

Hyderabad, April 24: The BJP unit in the State slammed the government for scrapping of G.O. 111 and demanded the conditional points to stop the illegal construction around the twin lakes , Osman Sagar and Himayath Sagar in the Hyderabad. It is learnt that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao government has issued G.O 69 prohibiting G.O. 111, which restricts the construction work around the lakes.

Speaking to the media, BJP leader, Gudur Narayan Reddy, said, “The scrapping of GO 111 is really very unfortunate and bringing out GO 69 without any conditions or rules or regulations could endanger the reservoir.” Reddy said that Osman sagar is supplying about five million gallons of water which is catering to Masab tank, Asif Nagar and Vijay Nagar colony up to Narayanguda. Himayath Sagar is supplying around three million gallons per day through Mir Alam filter beds which are catering to that area to the tune of one lakh people. The government is totally interested in real estate rather than protecting the environment.

Earlier, An environmental activist Lubna Sarwath said that the introducing of new G.O 69 could endanger the reservoir in the city. She said that the new G>O terminates the restrictions that were present in the G.O.111. It is said that the environmentalist was concerned over the lifting of G.O 111 as it will spell doom to the reservoirs in the city. The introduction of the new G.O 69 has left many environmentalists fumed. It is said that the introduction of new G.O. 69 allows the construction of industries and MNCs near the lakes which will apparently impact the environment.

Earlier as well, Lubna Sarwath had said that the government’s decision to do away with the G.O. 111 that protected the Nizam-era’s two major reservoirs, the Himayat Sagar and the Osman Sagar, can prove detrimental to the city, opined environment activist Lubna Sarwath. She further added that if GO 111 was scrapped, it might bring floods every October and September causing a massive risk to Hyderabad. “The Chief Minister should take the public opinion. He cannot repeal the GO by simply stating that the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar have become redundant. It is an unscientific reason. The committee that was appointed to study the twin reservoirs also has to be dissolved and a new expert committee should be formed in its place,” she added.

She further said that CM’s impulsive decision could send two reservoirs into a death trap and put lakhs of acres of land at a massive risk of concrete urbanisation. Lubna told that if GO 111 was repealed by the government, then there would be no greenery at all and the entire area in the protected zone around two lakes would be mushroomed with high-rise concrete buildings. She also pointed out that the Water Board had earlier taken up the ‘Save Gandipet project’ a report submitted by the District Collector highlighting the 20,000 encroachments inside the reservoir. A map was created that projected the illegal constructions in the catchment areas.

“Repealing of GO 111 will lead to heavy water overflow after rains. The government cannot break the natural system of water coming from Ananthagiri hills to two lakes and the same water from Osman Sagar comes to Asif Nagar filter and from Himayat Sagar to Mir Alam Tank water filter,” said Lubna. She demanded that the Telangana government should prepare a report on the number of illegal compound walls, farmhouses and resorts that have come upon and around the maximum water spread boundary at FTL of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.

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