Size of Durgam Cheruvu will be revealed in four months

Hyderabad: HYDRAA commissioner A.V. Ranganath on Friday said the dispute over the full tank level (FTL) of the Durgam Cheruvu in Jubilee Hills will be resolved in four months. The FTL has varied across different records, creating trouble for the residents as well as lawenforcing agencies.

At a meeting, Ranganath explained that experts from IIT, Bits (Pilani), JNTU, and government departments would work together to determine the FTL. The National Remote Sensing Centre, Survey of India, state survey, revenue and irrigation departments, GHMC, and HMDA would be involved.

“The FTL will be decided by studying satellite images and official records. After that, the final report will be made,” said Ranganath, who is also chairman of the lake protection committee.

Residents have raised concerns about the preliminary notification issued by the HMDA regarding the FTL. These concerns were discussed and recorded during the meeting, following the High Court’s instructions.

The FTL and the buffer zones of the lake have been a problem for over 25 years.

Many residents complained that different departments reported different measurements for the lake’s size, which is officially listed as 65.12 acres. Some said they have been wrongly called encroachers by the media, making it hard for them to build homes or sell their properties.

The dispute started in 2000 after heavy rains caused flooding around the lake. Since then, the issue has not been resolved. Residents hope their concerns will be considered when the FTL boundaries are decided.