Hyderabad: Taking note of allegations that authorities failed to act against encroachments and illegal constructions around Errakunta lake despite repeated complaints over the last three years, Telangana high court on Thursday sought responses from HYDRAA and HMDA on the steps taken to protect the water body.Justice B Vijaysen Reddy directed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Authority (HYDRAA) and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to place their stand on record and adjourned the matter to July 16.The direction came while hearing a petition filed by advocate Vijay Gopal, who appeared as a party-in-person.The petitioner alleged selective enforcement by HYDRAA, contending that while the agency claimed to have reclaimed large extents of govt land in other areas, it had failed to safeguard Errakunta lake in Lalaguda from encroachments.Gopal told the court that despite submitting complaints through social media, email and written representations in April 2023, August 2024 and May 2026, no action-taken report had been furnished and illegal constructions continued unabated.According to the petition, Errakunta lake, located in survey No. 124 of Lalaguda, was notified by HMDA in 2015. However, the authorities allegedly failed to prevent encroachments and construction activity within the full tank level and buffer zone.The petitioner argued that HYDRAA had not discharged its statutory responsibility to protect public assets despite possessing the powers to act against violations.Gopal sought directions to the authorities to remove illegal structures, recover demolition costs from the violators and initiate prosecution against those responsible.He also requested the court to seek clarification from the GHMC and HMDA on whether any portion of the lake land had been sold to private individuals and, if so, whether such transactions were legally valid.Asserting that publicly available satellite imagery showed continuing encroachments, Gopal relied on Supreme Court judgments holding that lakes are public resources that cannot be regularised, and urged immediate intervention to prevent further ecological damage.
