This story is from July 20, 2018

Twin reservoirs now redundant, Telangana tells HC

Twin reservoirs now redundant, Telangana tells HC
Telangana on Thursday informed the Hyderabad High Court that the twin reservoirs that were a source of drinking water for Hyderabad are redundant now.
HYDERABAD: Raising hopes among those who are striving to get GO 111 scrapped, Telangana on Thursday informed the Hyderabad High Court that the twin reservoirs — Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar (whose vicinty the GO aims at protecting from commercialisation) — that were a source of drinking water for Hyderabad are redundant now.
J Ramachandra Rao, additional advocate general, however, said that the government will protect the two water bodies.
GO 111 was issued, primarily banning any housing or construction activity within 10-km radius of the reservoirs. In the last two decades, two distinct groups have emerged, one opposing the GO on the ground that it is preventing development in a vast extent of Hyderabad and the other defending the GO, seeking its retention to prevent ecological degradation of the city.
comm

When the matter was taken up for hearing on Thursday by a bench of Justice V Ramasubramanian and Justice N Balayogi, the state counsel said that an experts’ committee had been formed to study the issue as per the directions issued by National Green Tribunal (NGT). The bench said that in that case, it would wait for the experts’ committee to come to a conclusion in the matter.
KS Murthy, counsel for those who are opposing any dilution of the GO, raised an objection on the word ‘redundant’. The state counsel, however, said that they are committed to protecting the twin water bodies that used to supply water to Hyderabad. He added that these reservoirs are no more the source of drinking water to Hyderabad. “They were discharging that role when the GO was issued. But, now rivers Krishna and Godavari are catering to the needs of Hyderabad,” he said. This is the sole GO in the country that is preventing development in a vast area, he contended.
The bench, however, refused to adjudicate the matter at this juncture. “Let the experts committee study and arrive at some conclusion,” the bench said and posted the case to four weeks. The experts’ committee would first report to the NGT, Chennai, which is seized of the matter.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA