The restoration and beautification works at Banda Cheruvu/Anandbagh Lake in East Anandbagh seem never-ending. Only digging has taken place in the name of beautification, with sewage pipelines lying near the lake for the past year. Local residents are concerned about protecting the lake, which is one of the fastest-shrinking lakes in the city with little water remaining.
The lake originally covered 132 acres but has now shrunk to only 60 acres due to encroachment by land grabbers. The entire lake is covered with seaweed, and the surrounding area has become a garbage dump yard. Sewage water discharge has changed the color of the water, leading to a severe mosquito problem in nearby colonies.
Development plans for the lake similar to Durgam Cheruvu seem to exist only on paper. Last year, the irrigation department started beautification works but only dug up the surrounding area, causing difficulties for locals due to haphazardly placed pipelines.
Concerns have been raised about why the construction efforts were halted, with speculation suggesting insufficient funding as the cause. The gradual deterioration of the lake poses challenges for residents, especially during the monsoon season. Negligence from the GHMC has led to indiscriminate garbage dumping, worsening the situation.
Local residents have faced bureaucratic obstacles when trying to address the issue with GHMC and the irrigation department. Despite numerous complaints, there has been no meaningful progress towards the development of the lake. The lack of action has left residents skeptical about whether the planned enhancements will ever be realized.
