Nalla Cheruvu, a haven for weed growth
The Hindu
Nalla Cheruvu was listed among 20 lakes to be developed and beautified by GHMC five to six years ago.
Vastness of greenery stretches as far as the eye can see behind a line of roadside vendors selling sweet lime, dragon fruit, coconut water, and other seasonal fruit on the stretch from Boduppal towards Uppal crossroads.
Only a short distance from a famous multiplex, the verdancy does not represent a welcome respite from the city’s hubbub and pollution.
On the contrary, it is symbolic of the callousness with which the urban areas treat their water bodies. The greenery covering the entire stretch of Nalla Cheruvu is water hyacinth, a deadly weed the existence of which indicates the miserable straits of any lake. The weed extends into the surplus weir of the lake too, stagnating the flow.
The water spread, hardly visible, is dark and menacing, living up to the name of the lake.
Nalla Cheruvu was listed among 20 lakes to be developed and beautified by GHMC five to six years ago.
As part of the beautification project, walking/cycling tracks were planned around the lake along with fencing, landscaping, lighting and others. In order to stop polluted water from entering the lake, a sewage diversion channel was to be laid.
Except hurriedly filling earth inside the FTL area of the lake in the name of walking track, the authorities have done precious little to improve the lake.