Tone deaf: Kapra Lake group on Chhath puja amid water crisis

Hyderabad: Members of the Kapra Lake Revival Group have raised alarm over Chhath Puja celebrations at the immersion pond adjacent to the lake, saying pumping out water from the borewells to fill the tank while the city was witnessing a water crisis is “tone deaf”.

A core member of the lake revival group told Siasat.com that water has been pumped from a borewell to fill the immersion pond for the past two days for the celebration on Sunday, November 15.

Around 3,000 to 4,000 people are expected to attend.

Members of the Kapra lake revival group have raised alarm over Chhath Puja celebrations at the immersion pond adjacent to the lake, saying pumping out water from the borewells to fill the tank while the city was witnessing a water crisis is "tone deaf". pic.twitter.com/Dew1DY1xrb

— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) November 14, 2026

The member said that the incident was particularly surprising, as the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), which is reviving the lake, had said that the Ganesh immersion this year would be the last immersion in the artificial tank. Immersions are prohibited in the Kapra Lake.

“Commissioner Ranganath had told us that after Ganesh immersion, no festivals would take place at the immersion pond. Durga Puja celebrations were also not carried out this time. This is why we were surprised to receive the order from the Chief Secretary for Chhath Puja celebrations,” a lake revival group member who did not wish to be named told Siasat.com.

“We reached out to Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation and HYDRAA officials regarding the matter, but they said they cannot do anything since the orders came from higher-ups,” the member added.

The member said that the water from the borewell used to fill the immersion pond is also used by HYDRAA for restoration activities.

“We have now proposed that if the celebrations are carried out, then an effort should be made to keep the water clean so that instead of dumping it down the drain, it can be used by HYDRAA for restoration of Kapra Lake,” they added.

The group has also requested that only people living within a five-kilometre radius be allowed to attend the celebrations at the lake so that water can be conserved.

According to the member, the Kapra Lake revival group was formed in 2016 by locals to keep the lake clean. Their efforts also caught the attention of HYDRAA, and since February 2026, the group and the agency have been working together to restore the lake.

Telangana water crisis

Telangana is suffering a water crisis due to deficient rainfall and El Nino conditions. Cumulative rainfall across Telangana from June 1 to November 11 stood at 64.5 cm against the normal 83.9 cm, a shortfall of 23 per cent.

Reservoirs like Singur and Manjira are running dry, and the Water Board is looking at alternative supplies. On October 27, the government declared 365 mandals drought-hit.

Efforts are being undertaken to reduce water consumption by 20 per cent across individuals, institutions and industries through awareness and conservation measures under the government’s Save Water Campaign.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has also launched ‘Green Water Tankers’, supplying treated sewage water for non-domestic use.

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