The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Tuesday undertook major operations to protect two water bodies in separate locations of Rangareddy district, reclaiming encroached lake areas and adjoining government land.

In one operation, HYDRAA restored the footprint of the 6.05-acre Eedula Kunta in Khanamet village of Serilingampally mandal, allegedly erased through encroachments. The agency also secured an adjoining 5.16-acre government land parcel. In another action, HYDRA removed encroachments at Kotha Cheruvu in Kokapet village of Gandipet mandal and stopped attempts to occupy upstream lake land by constructing a bund through the water body.

The action followed complaints from local residents, and field verifications were carried out jointly with Revenue, Irrigation and municipal authorities.

Located in Hyderabad’s IT corridor, Eedula Kunta in Survey No. 7 of Khanamet village was erased after flood channels feeding the lake were diverted and its boundaries, altered. The lake is part of the hydrological network of lakes including Thammidikunta and Sunnam Cheruvu.

Residents approached HYDRAA alleging that the lake was being gradually erased to facilitate construction activity. The matter is also pending before the National Green Tribunal. Following field inspections, HYDRAA identified traces of the lake and confirmed its existence through village and Revenue records, supported by satellite imagery from the National Remote Sensing Centre.

Officials demarcated the lake boundary and initiated fencing on Tuesday. HYDRAA also reclaimed 5.16 acres of adjacent government land in the process.

Officials said ambiguity arising from the boundary overlap of Kukatpally and Serilingampally mandals has been exploited by the encroachers who obtained permissions for construction within Kukatpally limits, but carried out the encroachment of the lake in Serilingampally mandal. The facts came to light during HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath’s field inspection before the land was secured.

At Kokapet’s Kotha Cheruvu, with a Full Tank Level (FTL) area of 72 acres, HYDRAA officials found that a bund was constructed through the lake, manufacturing land up to 20 acres upstream. A builder planned entire open space of his layout within the FTL area, using it to create basketball and volleyball courts, and children’s play area.

Acting on this, officials removed fencing and temporary structures raised within the lake area and fenced off the entire lake FTL, the statement informed.