It is the monsoon season and we seem to be enjoying a normal monsoon here in Hyderabad. With the water crisis in Chennai being in the news, can't help but feel thankful to be in a city that hasn't reached that crisis point. We see quite a few lakes within the city of Hyderabad still filled with water especially during the business end of the monsoon season and this year I look at them with a bit more appreciation.
My wife recently told me about the Aminpur Lake which is less than 5km from our house. She thought it could be a nice picnic spot. The lake is reachable from Miyapur by hanging a left off of the Bolaram Road. To reach the lake you have to continue as the street becomes a dirt road perhaps better navigated on a vehicle with high clearance. You have to walk across an expanse of brush to reach the lake. Along the way there is enough flat ground for kids nearby to have appropriated as a cricket field. Past the makeshift cricket field, as you approach the lake, if you're lucky, you will see - what do you know? - a flock of flamingos, pink ones! As we walked closer for a better look, we must have breached their safety zone and the entire flock took to flight and settled themselves further inside in the lake. Clearly the lake is not very deep even in the middle.
The entire flock assuming their flight pose of outstretched legs and long necks was a sight to behold. I was too stunned, that I missed the moment to capture it on camera. Apparently flamingos have been transiting through this lake every year as a stop in their migratory route. Word has it that in recent years, they - confused allegedly by climate change - have settled here in the lake for good.
The other lake that we have come across recently is the Shaikpet Kotha (New) Cheruvu (Lake). Multiple NGOs are attempting a cleanup of this lake (see recent Indian Express news article). This lake is right in the middle of town with settlements all around. The lake has clearly seen better days and looks anything but new. At some point the city saw fit to build a wall around the lake with what looks like a walkway that goes around the lake inside the wall. However, the whole setup is in a sad state of disrepair. The walkway is overrun with vegetation. The wall has been breached on one end close to the main road and GHMC seems to be using it as a garbage dump area. Sewage is being dumped on the other side. Plastic and construction waste is everywhere. Places that are clean enough are taken up by vendor stalls and vehicles many of them old and abandoned.
The lake itself is brimming with water and could be a great place to hang out for the neighbourhood if it can be cleaned up and the already existing walkway around the lake is made usable. Right now, it looks like a herculean task but there are some tenacious folks from Ananda Foundation and Krithi Foundation who are on this, so here is hoping for the best.
- Balaji
My wife recently told me about the Aminpur Lake which is less than 5km from our house. She thought it could be a nice picnic spot. The lake is reachable from Miyapur by hanging a left off of the Bolaram Road. To reach the lake you have to continue as the street becomes a dirt road perhaps better navigated on a vehicle with high clearance. You have to walk across an expanse of brush to reach the lake. Along the way there is enough flat ground for kids nearby to have appropriated as a cricket field. Past the makeshift cricket field, as you approach the lake, if you're lucky, you will see - what do you know? - a flock of flamingos, pink ones! As we walked closer for a better look, we must have breached their safety zone and the entire flock took to flight and settled themselves further inside in the lake. Clearly the lake is not very deep even in the middle.
The entire flock assuming their flight pose of outstretched legs and long necks was a sight to behold. I was too stunned, that I missed the moment to capture it on camera. Apparently flamingos have been transiting through this lake every year as a stop in their migratory route. Word has it that in recent years, they - confused allegedly by climate change - have settled here in the lake for good.
The other lake that we have come across recently is the Shaikpet Kotha (New) Cheruvu (Lake). Multiple NGOs are attempting a cleanup of this lake (see recent Indian Express news article). This lake is right in the middle of town with settlements all around. The lake has clearly seen better days and looks anything but new. At some point the city saw fit to build a wall around the lake with what looks like a walkway that goes around the lake inside the wall. However, the whole setup is in a sad state of disrepair. The walkway is overrun with vegetation. The wall has been breached on one end close to the main road and GHMC seems to be using it as a garbage dump area. Sewage is being dumped on the other side. Plastic and construction waste is everywhere. Places that are clean enough are taken up by vendor stalls and vehicles many of them old and abandoned.
The lake itself is brimming with water and could be a great place to hang out for the neighbourhood if it can be cleaned up and the already existing walkway around the lake is made usable. Right now, it looks like a herculean task but there are some tenacious folks from Ananda Foundation and Krithi Foundation who are on this, so here is hoping for the best.
- Balaji
