Durgam Cheruvu turns foul-smelling amid allegations of neglect

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Once a shining symbol of Hyderabad’s tourism landscape, the iconic Durgam Cheruvu—popularly known as the “Secret Lake”—has now reportedly turned into a foul-smelling water body, raising serious concerns. Locals allege that due to poor maintenance and administrative neglect, the lake has now deteriorated into a polluted water body. Residents claim that untreated sewage from surrounding upscale areas such as Jubilee Hills, Madhapur, Kavuri Hills, and Guttala Begumpet continues to flow directly into the lake.

Despite repeated assurances from civic authorities in the past that storm water drains would be diverted and modern sewage treatment plants would be fully operational, locals allege that these promises have remained only on paper. They further say that wastewater and chemical effluents from nearby commercial complexes, star hotels, and multi-specialty hospitals are also entering the lake, worsening the pollution levels. Criticism has intensified over the alleged lack of coordination between multiple civic bodies responsible for the lake’s upkeep, including the Lake Protection Committee, the Water Board, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, and the Tourism Department.

The worsening water quality, combined with stagnant conditions, has also led to a surge in mosquito breeding, raising concerns about diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya in nearby residential areas like Madhapur and Serilingampally. Residents and activists insist that sewage inflow must be stopped urgently, sewage treatment plants must be revived, and cleanup operations must be carried out on a war footing to remove invasive weeds and waste.