BRS MLA Faces Legal Action for Alleged Encroachment at Durgam Cheruvu

Legal Proceedings Against BRS MLA

Hyderabad, January 2: The Cyberabad Police have initiated legal action against Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, a member of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), for purportedly encroaching upon Durgam Cheruvu, located in the IT hub of Madhapur.

The case was filed following a complaint from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA), leading to the registration of charges against Reddy by the Madhapur Police.

The allegations include violations of various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act.

According to the complaint, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) had issued a primary notification regarding the Full Tank Level (FTL) of Durgam Cheruvu back in 2014.

Despite this, Kotha Prabhakar Reddy and another individual, Venkat Reddy, are accused of encroaching on approximately 5 acres of the lake by filling it with soil and stones. They are allegedly profiting from this encroached land by using it for private transport parking.

HYDRAA's complaint states that this encroachment has persisted since 2014.

Recently, HYDRAA undertook a significant operation to remove encroachments at Durgam Cheruvu, successfully clearing around five acres of the lake area near Inorbit Mall in Madhapur.

The encroached land was reportedly filled with soil and was being used illegally as a parking space for school buses and vehicles belonging to IT companies.

It is estimated that the encroachers were generating around Rs 50 lakh monthly from this illegal activity. HYDRAA officials have since removed the vehicles, installed fencing around the lake's perimeter, and begun efforts to clear the dumped soil.

Following a complaint received during the Prajavani program, HYDRA Commissioner A. V. Ranganath ordered immediate action.

Officials have noted that Durgam Cheruvu, which originally spanned 160 acres, has diminished to 116 acres due to ongoing encroachments and dumping activities. The illegal filling of the lake has reached depths of 10-15 meters, obstructing the proposed walking track around the lake.