Activists, ex-GHMC officer square off on Neknampur

HYDERABAD: Neknampur Lake has turned into a battlefield between activists and a former GHMC official after the latter allegedly attacked workers at the site. Both sides have said the other is encroaching the lake.
The face-off began on Wednesday when a former GHMC officer objected to a plantation drive and a shed by the activists in the area. Activists allege she attacked and spat on workers and in fact she lived in a building which was encroaching the lake.The Golconda police was called and complaints were lodged by both parties.
Golconda inspector Chandrasekhar Reddy confirmed that the incident took place. “An inquiry will be taken up into the complaints,” he said. But following the incident, a fight was taken online on Thursday. The former official did not respond yet to a request for comment.
Madhulika Choudhary (@madhulikaS2), founder Dhruvansh, which has been working on the lake for years, tweeted: “GHMC officer (former) physically beating my workers at my lake. Is this behaviour of GHMC officers degrading @HarithaHaram & abusing. Expect officers to take action.”
In response, GHMC zonal commissioner, Khairatabad, P Pravinya said, “Neknampur lake is public property... Action will be taken against Dhruvansh organisation for their unauthorized shed in buffer area of the lake and other unauthorised activities based on complaints received from local residents.” She further said the argument was between two persons in their private capacities and no GHMC official has been involved.
On Thursday, officers from GHMC urban forestry wing descended on the site. “Today, we worked on cleaning the plantation area,” said deputy director Sreenivas, urban biodiversity wing. Madhulika, however said GHMC did not have jurisdiction because a small portion of the lake falls in GHMC limits and the rest under the Manikonda municipality. Several activists tweeted in response. Vasudeva Rao (@vasudevarao_v: “(You are ) seeing only a temporary shed meant fr maintenance of Lake as encroachment. Didn’t u find any permanent encroachments by real mafia in the FTL & garbage dumping.” Akshata (@Akshata94437599) said: “This is OUR Lake, OUR city and OUR country. Please don’t take away nature from us and our children.”