In a continuing drive against illegal constructions to save water bodies, Telangana's Sangareddy district authorities demolished a multi-storeyed building constructed in a lake with a controlled explosion on Thursday.
The four-storeyed building was constructed without permission in a lake in Malkapur in Kondapur mandal, about 60 km from Hyderabad.
Acting on a complaint by the villagers, revenue authorities demolished the structure using explosives. The owner had even constructed a ramp with a staircase leading to the building in the lake.
According to officials, a man from Hyderabad had constructed the building 12 years ago. The owner with family members was spending the weekend here. A swimming pool was also under construction.
This is the first time officials have used explosives to demolish a structure since a special drive was launched against illegal structures to reclaim the encroached lands of lakes, ponds, reservoirs and other water bodies.
Thasildar Anita said the lake has a Full Tank Level (FTL) area of 3.1 acres. The building spread over 250 square yards was constructed in FTL. She said the owner was issued a notice before carrying out the demolition.
She said since no vehicle could reach the building in the lake for demolition, it was blown up. The police had made tight security arrangements for the demolition.
A home guard deployed as part of the security arrangements sustained minor injuries in the explosion.
While the newly-created Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has been carrying out the demolition of unauthorised structures in and around Hyderabad for the last couple of months, authorities in other parts of Telangana recently launched a similar drive.
Following the floods in Khammam, Mahabubabad, Suraypet, and other districts early this month, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had asked collectors of all districts to identify the buildings constructed in the FTL and buffer zone of lakes and demolish them.
(With inputs from IANS)
