To
The Hon’ble National Green Tribunal
Southern Zone
Chennai
Dear Justice,
Sub: High Rise Construction by the destruction of the water-body Mamasani Kunta in Puppulguda Village, Gandipet Mandal, Ranga Reddy district, Telangana. Plea for the restoration of the same.
Ref: Our representation to Mandal Revenue Officer, Gandipet; Irrigation Officials, HMDA, TSPCB, TSIIC, MAUD, Chief Secretary, Chief Minister and all officials dated 31 July 2019, 29 Sep 2019, 3 Oct 2019, 4 Oct 2019, 11 Oct 2019, 18 Nov 2019, 7 Jan 2020 and visits to offices of MRO, Irrigation and TSIIC and on-field visits for restoration of culvert of inflow channel of Mamasani Kunta. Our representations with digital and field surveys are attached and uploaded at
https://drive.google.com/open?id=14t8XAhdIIbFgsNMANOXrQedt3NkGYBOA ]
A. Mamasani Kunta a notified water body in Puppulguda village, Gandipet Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, has been barricaded by M/s Phoenix Spaces Pvt. Ltd assigned by TSIIC(Telangana Industries and Investment Corporation).
Mamasani Kunta water body is notified in HUDA Master Plan, HMDA Master Plan 2031, Bhuvan’s Topo map, ISRO’s Telangana water resources Information System and is identifiable on google earth satellite imagery.
B. On survey, it was found that Mamasani Kunta water body has been fully destroyed and constructions are ongoing in the water body by M/s Phoenix Spaces Pvt. Ltd.
After our repeated representations, under instructions of the Zonal Manager, TSIIC, Puppulguda Zone and then MRO Gandipet, the culvert of the inflow channel to Mamasani Kunta had been partially dug up to allow floodwaters to flow as per gravity to avoid the inundations that occurred to adjacent Navanami residency during October 2019.
Even as we were repeatedly insisting for full restoration of the culvert so that the water body can be revived completely, huge constructions are now come up right in front of the culvert.
During our last survey of the culvert with TSIIC officials on 7 January 2020, the width of the culvert is measured around 6.30mtrs. In spite of themselves(officials and Phoenix) having noticed the culvert opening into the barricaded space, without giving a thought of the existence of water body, concrete construction has been allowed, in between 24 December 2019 and 7 January 2020.
C. We have always represented to our officials with the following Supreme Court Order so that they work as per their conscience as they are duty-bound: As per the Supreme Court orders from time to time on Article 21 on the right to life with dignity and of change of land use of water zone, that can never be done. In Hinch Lal Tiwari vs Kamala Devi And Ors on 25 July 2001 Bench: Syed Shah Quadri, S.N. Phukan in Appeal(civil) 4787 of 2001, the supreme court said as follows:
“The Government, including the Revenue Authorities (i.e. Respondents 11 to 13) having noticed that a pond is falling in disuse, should have bestowed their attention to develop the same which would, on one hand, have prevented ecological disaster and on the other provided better environment for the benefit of the public at large. Such vigil is the best protection against knavish attempts to seek allotment in non-abadi sites.”
“Further it will also help in maintaining ecological balance and protecting the environment in regard to which this Court has repeatedly expressed its concern. Such measures must begin at the grass-root level if they were to become the nation’s pride.“
D. We draw further hope from the recent Supreme Court ordered demolition of Maradu flats as they had violated coastal zone construction norms.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/maradu-apartment-demolition-jain-coral-cove-golden-kayaloram-in-kerala/article30548464.ece
E. As our repeated representations and personal requests for restoration of culvert, inflow channel and water body have not been heeded to and constructions speed is being paced up, we urge and appeal to you to kindly take up our petition and order for:
a) reviving of Mamasani Kunta and its connected channels, and
b) order for demolition of constructions on the channels and in the water body.We trust your earliest attention to the matter.
I undertake to present any document that I have before the Hon’ble NGT.
Best,
Dr Lubna Sarwath
State General Secretary,
Socialist Party (India), Hyderabad
& Ex-convenor, Save Our Urban Lakes,
Hyderabad
