HMDA Lake Protection Committee speeds up final notifications for lakes

The Lake Protection Committee under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has achieved remarkable progress in lake notifications within its purview during the past 10 months, which has been uncharacteristic of the body since it was constituted 15 years ago through an order by the High Court in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The committee, headed by the Metropolitan Commissioner issued 408 preliminary notifications and 957 final notifications with respect to lakes beyond the Outer Ring Road. The final notifications are more than four times higher than the number issued during the 15 year existence of the committee.

Lake Protection Committee was constituted in response to the High Court’s directions as a comprehensive regulatory body consisting of representatives of all stakeholder departments, to protect all the lakes and regulate developments in the catchment areas of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar lakes.

Identification of lakes and preliminary notifications have progressed at reasonable pace after constitution of the committee. Preliminary notification is issued after demarcating the full tank level of the lake along with the survey numbers falling within, for the stakeholders to file objections if any. Final notification is issued for each lake after finalising the FTL and buffer zones, and fixing of geocoordinates for the same.

Since 2010, Up to August, 2024, preliminary notifications were issued with respect to 2525 lakes within the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region, but final notifications were issued for only 230.

In September, 2024, the State government issued orders constituting a separate exclusive lake protection committee for the lakes within the ORR, to be chaired by the Commissioner of the Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency.

Of the 3262 lakes tentatively identified within the HMR region till then, 476 were found to be inside the ORR and within the purview of HYDRAA LPC, and the remaining 2,786, outside the ORR and hence within the purview of HMDA LPC.

On the whole, HMDA’s LPC, during its 15 year existence, issued a total 2,933 preliminary notifications and 1187 final notifications. Of these, 2,502 preliminary notifications were issued for lakes outside the ORR and 431 inside. Final notifications were for 1093 lakes outside the ORR and for 94 lakes within.

“Another set of 687 lakes are with the Irrigation department, and we are in the process of integrating them with our database, after removing duplications,” HMDA Commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmed said.

Published - June 02, 2025 08:00 pm IST