Hyderabad: In a sharp rebuke over civic inaction, Telangana high court has flagged the unchecked spread of water hyacinth in city lakes as a serious public health risk, expressing shock over authorities’ failure to respond despite repeated warnings.Justice NV Shravan Kumar directed GHMC, HYDRAA and other departments concerned to act immediately to clear water hyacinth in Saroornagar lake, observing that the water body had turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The court noted that authorities ought to have intervened promptly, as the issue has a direct bearing on public health and, if left unattended, could trigger outbreaks of diseases. Expanding the scope beyond a single water body, the court ordered officials to tackle the water hyacinth menace across all lakes within GHMC limits. It directed immediate measures, including intensive fogging operations, anti-larval drives, deployment of dedicated inspection and monitoring teams, and regular removal of water hyacinth. Treating the matter as one of wider public health concern, the court instructed authorities to periodically apprise it of the steps taken and file status reports. The case has been posted to April 16 for further hearing. The directions came while hearing a petition filed by D Keerthi Kiran, a businessman from Saidabad, who alleged official inaction despite a worsening mosquito menace in areas surrounding Saroornagar lake. He submitted photographic evidence and also pointed to protests raised in the assembly by LB Nagar MLA D Sudheer Reddy, who highlighted the issue dramatically by wearing mosquito net clothing. ‘Swift action needed’The petitioner contended that the exponential rise in mosquito population had made the locality increasingly uninhabitable. Taking note, the court observed that authorities should have acted swiftly when both residents and an elected representative raised alarm. The court also underlined the role of HYDRAA in preventing urban risks through its disaster management framework, noting that the agency should have inspected the lake and initiated preventive measures at an earlier stage.
