Hyderabad: For almost a year since frightening flooding in October 2020 created chaos in the Osman Nagar area on the outskirts of the old city.
When the rainy season is expected to increase in the coming weeks, residents say they have not recovered from the impact created by last year’s flood.
Many families slam the selected representatives and government authorities not to act since the past year.
A 60-year-old Osman Nagar resident, Syed Waheed Rahman said, “After our house was flooded almost 10 feet of rainwater last year, we were forced to go and look for a rental place near Pahadi Shareef.
For about four months, I used to travel 5 to 6 km to check my submerged house and see if the surface of the water has receded.
The situation is no different this year.
The water from Osman Nagar Lake closest to gushed to our house right after two rain spells last week.
“Even today, Rahman and his family members Having other ways than navigating mud water and waste that still accumulates in front of his house whose foundation gradually deteriorates because of its puddle.
When the rainy season keeps them in Tenterhooks, many say that they have a night without sleep as the water level Osman Nagar Lake rises with every rain spell.
“We had a night without sleep because the water level Osman Nagar Lake began to rise again.
After Education Minister Sabita Indira Reddy recently examined the area, officials of the city of Jalpally have started the work of the reconstruction of Lake Osman Nagar Bund but it is of no use because it has begun to develop cracks and washed due to rain.
We need a permanent solution, “said Afreen Begum, a resident of Osman Nagar.
Open area right in front of Afreen’s house is fully covered with algae weed and has become a breeding place for mosquitoes.
Residents also claim that outlet channels that have been closed to protect the closest colonies of floods are one of the reasons for flooding last year.
According to officials from the municipality, the Bund stretched at a few km and about 12 feet were being built to protect flood water from protecting houses.
Agreed that some houses were still suffering from last year’s flood impact, G Praveen Kumar, Commissioner, Municipality Jalpally said, “Many houses are still affected because they are built in the Lake FTL (full tank level) and we cannot do anything about it because the case is still delayed in the High Court.
“However, the Commissioner told them they took all prevention steps to deal with future rainy problems which included manual development for waterways, inlet opening and outlets and the construction of Bund on the left side of Lake Osman Nagar, Stretched in one km and a width of about 12 feet, to protect flood water entering houses in the area.
The city was reconstructing Bund which was damaged with a special fund of Rs 20 Lakh approved by Rangieddy District collectors in the representation of the Minister of Sabitha Indra Reddy.