Revived Ramannakunta brings hope & flood concerns to Cantonment residents

Secunderabad: Recent downpours have breathed new life into the century-old Ramannakunta lake, situated in the heart of the Secunderabad Cantonment. Last year, the SCB’s sanitation wing undertook the mammoth task of cleaning the lake, removing tonnes of water hyacinth, unwanted vegetation, and solid waste, effectively preparing it for the rainy season. “Earlier, the lake turned into a cesspool due to sewage water from the nearby colonies and emitted an odour,” an SCB official said. Now, after the recent rains, the lake is filled with clean water, just before the onset of the monsoon season. Up until last Dec, the lake was a cesspool, filled with sewage water year-round. With the increase in temperature, the sewage water started to evaporate from Feb, and by March, it had turned into barren land. The impact of the lake drying up was also seen in the depletion of groundwater levels in the surrounding colonies. However, the worried residents are are now hopeful after the recent bout of heavy rains. “On one hand, we are happy that the lake has brimmed and the groundwater table has risen, but on the other hand, we are worried about the threat of inundation. If this is the case in summer, with the onset of the monsoon, the lake will overflow, and water will enter the colonies,” a few residents of Sitaramapur Colony told TOI. A plan to build a stormwater drain between Harshvardhan Colony and Center Point Bridge at Bowenpally to prevent sewage from entering the lake was delayed due to a change in govt in the state. Although the then BRS govt had sanctioned Rs 30 crore, the GHMC could not complete it. Now, residents and officials alike are keeping a close watch on the lake as they brace for the monsoon, balancing relief with caution.

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