Industries in colonies posing grave fire risk

Rajendranagar: The harrowing incident that took place on Wednesday is a stark example of blatant negligence of the GHMC and the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company (TSSPDCL).

Five people, including a local Police Inspector at PS Mailardevpally K Sathaiah Goud, Sub-Inspector Nadeem, Corporator Misbahuddin, MIM activist Syed Habeeb of Kings Colony and two others were severely injured with varied intensity after a powerful explosion went off at Shastripuram approach road. Due to the impact of the explosion, the ear drums of the victims, especially the MIM Corporator Misbahuddin and Sub-Inspector Mailardevpally Syed Nadeem, were totally damaged, while it left a few others with grievous injuries.

"This unfortunate incident doesn't serve as an eye-opener to our administration. There are serious coordination gaps between GHMC Rajendranagar, TSCPDCL and police personnel in ensuring that such illegitimate and unaccounted industrial units don't operate amid residential layouts," said MAH Asif, a software engineer and a resident of Shastripuram Colony.

On an average, one fire incident takes place each month, especially in the days of boiling mercury. The GHMC officials appeared to be least bothered to take any preventive measures to make sure that these high-risk industrial units would not cause any damage to properties and lives of the local residents.

"The more the complaints poured in from the residents, the more these units operate freely. This will not be possible without the connivance of the GHMC officials concerned," said Mir Mushtaq Ahmed Baig, another resident of Shastripuram Colony.

The injured corporator said that he was not against any trade. But, these kind of industrial units are not safe for the areas meant for only residential purpose, he said. "All these godowns and units should move out of the city for the safety of the residents.

They have to realise the importance of life. They are running behind the money, instead of celebrating the real spirit of being alive. The incident that took place on Wednesday afternoon left a young labourer disabled permanently. He also lost a leg. He is the only bread winner of his family of seven. Who will recompense the loss this poor family had suffered," said MIM Corporator Shastripuram Division Misbahuddin.

Matter escalated to higher officials

Recently, the corporator also brought the issue to the notice of MAUD Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar. "I have taken up the matter before Arvind Kumar on twitter reminding him of the kind of units candidly operating in a hazardous manner here.

I have requested him to take stock of the situation and seal them. No action has been taken yet," he said. Another fire incident has occurred recently at Wadamgadda Railway Gate.

A plastic godown adjacent to a school at the railway gate was caught on fire and only after a few hours of struggle the local public and the fire fighter were able to extinguish the fire. All the school children were rescued and fortunately no one was injured. Even so, the unit was reopened a few days later.