The Telangana state government has decided to prohibit land registrations on lake beds and buffer zones of about 3,100 lakes, particularly in Hyderabad Metropolitan Region.
The decision was taken at a Lake Protection Committee meeting held on Wednesday and conveyed to district collectors. Official sources said the ban would be implemented with immediate effect in lakes where land survey has been completed and Full Tank Levels (FTL) for lakes fixed.
The state government formed Lake Protection Committee mainly to protect lakes with reports that many lakes have been converted into plots and hundreds of buildings have come up in lake beds. A survey of 3,132 lakes has been taken up in 2013.Survey and fixing of boundaries is being carried out by irrigation, revenue departments, panchayati raj departments.
The decision was taken as many lakes have been encroached upon by realtors and developers and are being sold to gullible customers by marking plots. According to a recent survey conducted by revenue department, 151 lakes in Ranga Reddy district and 250 lakes in Medchal-Ranga Reddy districts were encroached upon by people and firms. The revenue department said there's no matching between original lake extent and present lake area.
