S.Ravi Seshu
Having roped in all political opponents to the ruling side and decimated the dreaded criminal Nayeemuddin, the third biggest task of the K.Chandrasekhar Rao government is: demolition of illegal constructions that came up on the beds of water bodies in Hyderabad.
The Chief Minister had announced that at least 28,000 illegal constructions on the nalas should be demolished to ensure the smooth flow of flood waters and the government has to swing into action to fulfill its dream to showcase the city of pearls as ‘viswa nagaram.’
He had made it clear that nobody, including ministers, MLAs, corporators or rich people, will be spared in the process of demolition drive. No Chief Minister came out openly on encroached nalas like KCR, much to the joy of the city-based environmentalists.
In the face of marooning of low lying areas due to the recent rain waters, the Chief Minister’s open remarks gave new strength to the officials in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. It is in the process of drafting an action plan to pull down 28, 872 illegal constructions. About 40,000 families are residing in them and majority of them will make a big hue and cry with the support of political parties such as Congress.
The GHMC commissioner B.Janardhan Reddy on Sunday issued orders to his officers in all circles to form multi-disciplinary demolition squads. With the help of police, these squads will take up the exercise soon. The GHMC is simultaneously planning to enhance the size of nalas to ensure free flow of flood waters. Revival of nalas and tank beds by removing encroachments all over the city will take five to six years, according to the official. Environmentalists allege that as many as 100 lakes in the city were encroached by politicians, builders and criminals.
The Governor Mr.Narasimham has already started a positive environment for the demolition drive, which is bound to create some fury among a section of people. “They encroach nalas and build houses on it. But they blame governments for floods. What is this?,” he said during his visit to Tirumala.
