Hyderabad Lake's Luxury Masking Decay

Durgam Cheruvu, a historic Hyderabad lake, showcases a stark contrast between curated leisure and environmental degradation. Upscale rooftop restaurants offer mesmerizing views of the illuminated suspension bridge and glittering water, while speedboat rides contend with an overpowering stench from rotting organic matter and water hyacinth. This picturesque facade masks a deeper reality: the lake's water level has been deliberately lowered, and its edges reshaped over decades to free up land for construction.

Historical records and on-site evidence reveal a steady manipulation of the lake's full tank level, now sitting at 558 meters above sea level compared to its original 560.1 meters. This reduction exposes land, facilitating encroachment and altering the lake's natural behavior. The persistent growth of water hyacinth is directly linked to the continuous discharge of treated sewage, which, despite meeting some clean-water benchmarks, remains unfit for wildlife.

Proposed engineering solutions to divert sewage, first approved over a decade ago, have yet to fully materialize, with the lake having shrunk from its original 160.6 acres. Legal interventions, including notices to property owners regarding encroachments within the full tank level, have faced challenges, with recent High Court directives suggesting pragmatic settlements rather than strict adherence to original water levels. The lake's ecosystem continues to unravel, driven by a confluence of real estate compulsions and ongoing civic interventions.