Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) dismantled seven illegal borewells near Fox Sagar in Jeedimetla on Tuesday, taking the total removed during its two-day crackdown on illegal groundwater extraction and sale to 38.
HYDRAA inspected six borewells and uncovered a covert operation near Kompally, where water was filled into tankers from containers near the lake and transported elsewhere. Private tankers carried HMWSSB stickers to resemble official Water Board vehicles and facilitate the illegal water trade.
HYDRAA stopped the operation and seized the vehicles, a press release said.
Several operators around Fox Sagar had drilled borewells at multiple locations and were extracting water commercially without permission. HYDRAA dismantled seven borewells and their connected pipelines and uncovered large sheds and plastic storage tanks used in the operation.
The agency also disrupted preparations to drill more borewells. It had previously removed 25 borewells near Sunnam Cheruvu and six near Thammidikunta in Madhapur, it said.