Can Yellamma Cheruvu be saved? BRS demands action
HYDERABAD: As part of the “For the People, By the People” initiative, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Manikonda leaders visited Yellamma Cheruvu near Lanco Hills to assess its condition and gather residents’ concerns.
The visit revealed alarming allegations. Witnesses claimed large-scale encroachment, ecological damage, and systematic destruction. Yellamma Cheruvu, a historic water body, once served a vital role in the region’s natural drainage system.
Sitaram Dhulipala, President of the BRS party in Manikonda, provided a historical perspective on the lake’s significance, explaining that Yellamma Cheruvu was once an integral part of a natural chain of tanks. Using gravity, water historically flowed through a connected series of water bodies, including Durgam Cheruvu, Malkam Cheruvu, Khajaguda Cheruvu, Yellamma Cheruvu, Bulkapur Nala, Pandem Vagu, and Ibrahim Bagh. From there, the water would ultimately drain into the Musi River. Residents lamented that this traditional water management system has been completely disrupted.
Residents told the BRS group that Yellamma Cheruvu used to cover 22 acres and 26 guntas under Survey Number 215. They said it has become much smaller over the years. They claim that builders and real estate developers have taken over the land around the lake without any control, causing it to shrink.
Locals pointed out more damage to the environment, saying that seven farming wells nearby have completely disappeared. This shows that the underground water level is going down and old water sources are being lost.
The condition of what remains of the lake was described as dire. Residents told the delegation that Yellamma Cheruvu is currently filled with sewage water, transforming what was once a vital water body into a cesspool. They further alleged that the lake’s natural spillway (weir) has been effectively converted into a sewage drainage outlet, exacerbating pollution and public health hazards in the surrounding residential areas.
Locals, including Ram Reddy, Raghava Reddy, D. Lakshman, and others, appealed to officials from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to intervene urgently. Their demands included conducting a comprehensive survey of the lake and its surroundings, demarcating the original boundaries of Yellamma Cheruvu, protecting all associated government lands from further encroachment, and undertaking immediate beautification works in accordance with public demand.
Residents stressed that taking these steps could bring the lake back to life. They said it could become a beautiful place for the public and make life better for thousands of people in Manikonda. But they warned that if their concerns are ignored, the lake will be completely taken over.
BRS leaders strongly supported residents’ demands. The delegation, including Sitaram Dhulipala and Ande Lakshman Rao, demanded that government authorities immediately halt further encroachment and promptly begin beautification work at Yellamma Cheruvu. They called on HMWSSB and other relevant departments to take swift, concrete action to restore the lake and ensure its preservation as a historically significant water body for future generations.
The “For the People, By the People” initiative continues to address grassroots civic concerns. BRS leaders have pledged to pursue the matter until concrete action is taken.
