A day after the demolition of a convention centre co-owned by actor Nagarjuna, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy vowed firm action against those who have encroached upon lakes, regardless of their social or political influence.
According to a report in PTI, Reddy asserted that his government would not yield to pressure and would pursue stringent actions against encroachers, even if they were connected to the government. Meanwhile, Nagarjuna maintained that the land on which the N-Convention centre was built is documented patta land.
Speaking at a Hare Krishna Movement event on Sunday, Reddy invoked the teachings of Lord Krishna, emphasising the need to uphold Dharma to defeat Adharma for the greater good. He reiterated his commitment to protecting lakes and public resources from encroachment.
On Saturday, officials from various departments, including the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), GHMC, town planning, irrigation, and revenue, carried out a demolition drive targeting illegal structures in the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zones of Tammidikunta Lake. The N-Convention centre, co-owned by Nagarjuna, was among the unauthorised constructions removed during the operation.
The government release stated that the N-Convention was built within the FTL/buffer zone without proper building permissions. Reddy highlighted that the HYDRAA was established specifically to protect lakes and government properties, and despite pressures, the agency would continue its mission to eliminate encroachments.
I Want To Do Some Good For People: CM Revanth Reddy
"I want to do some good to the people as part of that. The sole objective is to liberate these lakes from the encroachers. We will crush encroachments with an iron hand. Though there are pressures, we will not go back and we will remove those encroachments," the CM asserted.
Lakes are part of the culture of India upon which people depend for a livelihood. He also marked that some of the farmhouses in Gandipet and Himayat Sagar are built near lakes and release sewer into drinking water bodies, which supply drinking water to parts of the city.
He further asserted that he would not be a true public representative if he failed to protect the lakes in the interests of the people of the state.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Nagarjuna reiterated that the land on which N-Convention is built is patta documented and that no additional land beyond that has been encroached upon. "Now the formal argument is already presented in front of the esteemed High Court, I will abide to the law of the land and judgement," he stated.