One would imagine that every day, several letters are written to the Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekar Rao. But on October 6, KCR, as he is popularly known, received a particularly earnest set of letters from Class IV and V students of Glendale Academy International, Bandlaguda, Hyderabad. Their plea was simple — they were asking for his help to restore the beautiful yet much-disregarded lakes of the City of Nizams.
Remember the Lady of the Lakes AKA Madhulika Choudhary, the same passionate environmentalist who successfully restored Neknampur Lake and founded the NGO Dhruvansh? It's in collaboration with her that these students hope to take forward their commitment to United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 14 — Life Below Water. "On October 9, students, their parents and teachers participated in a clean-up drive at Mushkin Cheruvu and that's where our collaboration began," says Pinki Agarwal, Global Education and Leader In Me Coordinator, Glendale Academy International. The idea is that saplings will be transported, sowed, monitored and maintained and the cost to do this for each sapling is Rs 100. Thus, the students wrote to the CM to enlist his financial support.
Twins and shout
Imaan Maisha and Insiya Manaal are twins who are passionate about lakes. So much so that they, with their family in tow, they visited Durgam Cheruvu last weekend and conducted an impromptu clean-up drive. "We collected as much garbage as we could and gave it for recycling," says Imaan who is in Class V. Plastic and cement bags, glass bottles, snack packets and more, it was a heart-breaking sight for the twins. "It is these lakes and the precious marine life in them that makes our city beautiful," she says. She reiterated this in her letter too by calling lakes "a heavenly body".
Ask Insiya what she likes best about lakes and she has a near poetic answer ready. "I like the glistening water and the lively marine life," she tells us. This young one loves to visit the lake to take pictures and feels that these water bodies are vital to any city. The little Wordsworth says in her letter, "We, Glendalites, ask you (CM) to help clean our city lakes and make them gleam again!". Turns out that Insiya is not just good with words, but with colours too because right in the middle of her letter sits a drawing of a pretty little blue fish!
City of... what now?
Arush Sharma from Class V has visited very many lakes of Hyderabad and is aware of the fact that when they are clean and green, they act as lungs of the city. "I often go to lakes because they are selfie-friendly as well. And my grandparents are always game for pictures," he shares in a lighter vein. More seriously and practically, he adds, "Lakes also attract people and tourists too", implying that lakes could actually serve as a livelihood opportunity. That's why his beyond humble letter requests the CM for his financial support. And if he were to ask another two wishes from the politician, it would be strict government rules with regards to keeping lakes clean and making use of technology to clean lakes and their surroundings.
The Buddha statue and the Hussain Sagar Lake itself have Alvin Philip Sujith's heart. Also, the wonderful light and sound shows held there. "Hyderabad was once known as City of Lakes and we have lost that name because lakes have dried up or are full of garbage. They aren't as they were before," rues the 10-year-old. Hence, his letter, written in neat and meticulous handwriting, harks back to the Government of Telangana's flagship programme, Telangana Ku Haritha Haram and mentions that their plantation drive could help with that too.
In this way, 24 students have written these letters to the CM hoping to seek his financial assistance so that they can't plant saplings and help Hyderabad reclaim its title of City of Lakes, one lake at a time.
