Neknampur Lake:
Dismissing viral social media claims, a flight safety chief said that the hot air balloon landing near Neknampur Lake in Hyderabad recently was a routine and controlled landing, standard in balloon operations, and not an emergency.
- Neknampur Lake, also known as Ibrahim Bagh Cheruvu, is a historic man-made reservoir situated in the southern part of Hyderabad, Telangana.
- It was constructed during the Qutb Shahi dynasty in the 16th century.
- Initially commissioned by Sultan Ibrahim Qutb Shah and later revitalized under Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah through a channel built by nobleman Neknam Khan (the lake was renamed in his honor), it became part of Hyderabad’s water network.
- Once vital to the city’s water supply until urban shifts in the mid-20th century, the lake has since deteriorated due to urbanization and pollution.
- Restoration efforts since the 2010s include a large floating treatment wetland installed in 2018, recognized as India’s largest, which has improved water quality and revived biodiversity.
