BJP MLA Payal Shankar suggests govt to address lake encroachments in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: BJP MLA Payal Shankar on Monday urged the govt to verify the condition of 25 lakes within the limits of HMDA, which corporates were permitted to maintain with their CSR funds.
"The lake boundaries were not even specified to the corporates. We ought to know how much of the lake bed was encroached upon by realtors," Payal Shankar said in the assembly. He mentioned that real estate projects were being developed, projecting a 'lake view' for buyers at premium amounts.
The Adilabad MLA stated that the govt should develop Adilabad district as well and not just concentrate on setting up industries in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district. He noted that although the Adilabad municipality was formed into an urban development authority, he received no funds.
Payal Shankar mentioned that the centre declared the development of the Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridor, but it was for the state govt to make the best use of the opportunity to develop Adilabad, which is the first district in Telangana that forms part of the corridor.
The BJP MLA said in 2015, the then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that an Air Force Station would be developed in Adilabad and asked the state govt to acquire 2,000 acres of land. He said she wrote to the state govt about it and also reminded them through letters written subsequently.
"It is sad that the previous BJP govt did not respond. They asked the centre to hand over the Bison polo grounds in Secunderabad, where the BRS govt wanted to construct the new Secretariat. Since the centre did not agree to do that, the BRS govt did not extend the required cooperation to the centre for the AFS plan in Adilabad," he said.
Payal Shankar wanted the govt to pursue this with the centre, which then also promised that a civil airport could come up there. "It is important to have an airport in Adilabad," he said. He pointed out that the district was rich in high-quality limestone and several minerals.