Dry lakes, dry borewells: Mansoorabad residents demand action on water crisis
HYDERABAD: Two lakes in Mansoorabad, Chinna Cheruvu and Pedda Cheruvu, have run completely dry, and with them, borewells across nearly 20 surrounding colonies have stopped yielding water, according to Venkat Ankam, Co-founder of the Dha3R NGO, who has been tracking the crisis closely.
“It’s completely dried up. There’s absolutely zero water in it,” Venkat told HyderabadMail, describing the state of the lakes and the cascading effect on groundwater in the area. He estimates the dried-up lakes have directly affected water supply to around 20 colonies in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, at Mansoorabad Chinna Cheruvu, the GHMC approved a rainwater inlet project under the 99 Days Action Plan. The goal was to improve stormwater flow into the lake and boost groundwater recharge. Venkat said the GHMC started the work, but stopped it suddenly after a local leader objected.
As a result, now, the job is only half done. The excavated road remains unfinished. The rainwater inlet is blocked, so rainwater cannot flow into the lake, just when the project was supposed to help.
Additionally, Pedda Cheruvu faces a different but serious issue. A major drain (nala) built under the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) was meant to bring rainwater from Vanasthalipuram to the lake. Over time, however, many illegal sewage connections have been added to this nala.
Because of this, much of the water meant for the lake is now diverted to a drain leading to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) near Nagole. This water then reaches the Musi River and bypasses the lake. During heavy rain, a temporary mud section of the nala often breaks. When this happens, untreated sewage, garbage, and polluted runoff flow directly into the lake. Venkat said this ongoing pollution threatens the lake’s ecosystem and the health of thousands of residents nearby.
Venkat further added “Perhaps the strongest indicator of the crisis is that the borewell located within the lake has dried up. When a borewell inside a lake bed cannot yield water, the extent of groundwater distress in the surrounding communities becomes painfully evident”.
Further, he said local groups and residents have sent many written complaints and posted on social media about both problems. However, authorities have mostly stopped responding. “Zero response. It’s a very unfortunate situation,” he said when asked about the authorities’ reaction.
Frustration led to a public demonstration. Dha3R NGO organized the ‘5K Below The Lake’ run at Mansoorabad. More than 100 runners, walkers, environmentalists, children, senior citizens, and residents gathered on the dry beds of Chinna Cheruvu and Pedda Cheruvu.
Participants included members of Dha3R NGO including co founder Manoj Vidiyala, LB Nagar Runners, Mansoorabad Milers, and the Mansoorabad Pedda Cheruvu Walkers Welfare Association. At the end, everyone formed a giant human water droplet. This symbolized hope and a shared commitment to restore the lakes.
Most importantly, he also pointed out a striking irony. The same rainwater that could recharge groundwater and refill lakes is now rushing into storm drains, flooding city streets, or going to sewage treatment plants at a high cost to taxpayers.
Consequently, the organisers of 5K Below the Lake event said Hyderabad faces water shortages in summer and flooding during the monsoon. This, they argue, shows the city’s natural water systems are not working as they should. As lakes dry up, groundwater disappears too. People often respond by drilling deeper borewells, spending lakhs of rupees per household. This only speeds up groundwater depletion and delays a real solution.
The organisers said the loss of urban lakes is more than an environmental problem. It affects water security, public health, climate resilience, and people’s wellbeing.
They urged government agencies to treat urban lakes as critical infrastructure, not as vacant land. Lakes store water, prevent flooding, support biodiversity, and protect future generations.
Further, the organisers also said citizens share responsibility. Hyderabad gets a lot of rain each year, but few households practise rainwater harvesting. As a result, millions of litres that could recharge groundwater and revive borewells are lost every year.
The campaign’s message was summed up in a simple formula to restore lakes, and harvest rainwater, two halves of the same solution. As one participant put it while standing in the dry lakebed, “Today we ran below the lake. Tomorrow, let’s bring water back above it.”
