The Telangana government informed the Telangana High Court that there are no constructions within the Full Tank Level (FTL) of Salkam Cheruvu at Bandlaguda and that the Barrister Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus is located outside the FTL area, based on the FTL contour map presented before the court.
The submission was made during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Vijay Gopal, who alleged that the educational campus, run by the Salar e Millat Educational Trust founded by AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, had encroached upon the lake area and that authorities, including HYDRAA, had failed to take action.
During the hearing, the government also informed the court that:
- A ring bund has been constructed around Salkam Cheruvu under the Mission Kakatiya lake restoration programme.
- No structures exist within the notified FTL area of the lake.
- The FTL contour map was produced before the court to support the government’s stand.
However, Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar raised several questions, asking why:
- The district collector’s report on the lake’s FTL had not yet been submitted.
- The FTL map had not been uploaded to the HMDA website.
- HYDRAA and the Lake Protection Committee had not taken sufficient steps to protect the lake and prevent disputes over lake boundaries. The judge also criticized what he described as “Selective” action in protecting lakes.
The School Education Department informed the court that the institution had applied for permission to run a school only in December 2025 and had not furnished details regarding approvals for earlier years. Questions were also raised about municipal permissions and the legality of the buildings.
The petitioner challenged the ownership documents submitted by the trust and sought a detailed investigation, while the trust denied the allegations and argued that frivolous petitions were being filed against it.
The High Court directed all respondent departments to file detailed counter-affidavits and relevant records within three weeks. The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 30, 2026. The court emphasized that the case is significant not only for Salkam Cheruvu but also for the protection of lakes and water bodies across Telangana.
