Protests at GHMC office over poor sanitation

Charminar: The members of Socialist Party India, Human Rights Forum, Chatri, National Alliance Of People's Movements (NAPM) laid siege to Sardar Mahal (GHMC Charminar zone office), near Charminar, regarding lack of proper sanitation in the Old City areas.

The NGOs said that the residents of the Old City have been suffering from health-related issues, owing to uncontrolled breeding of mosquitoes and vector-borne diseases. They also brought to the notice of officials about the increased pollution in the water bodies and Musi River, poor garbage handling and sanitation management coupled with lack of adequate public health facilities.

The protest was led by activist and Socialist Party India spokesperson Dr Lubna Sarwath, along with representatives of the Human Rights Forum, Chatri and NAPM. While protesting at Sardar Mahal, the members raised slogans, "We want Shahi Shaher, hygiene, health and happiness."

Later, a representation was also given to the GHMC Charminar Zonal Commissioner, B Srinivas Reddy. In the representation, Dr Sarwath said that the residents of Old city were suffering from diseases, owing to pollution and poor maintenance of water bodies, particularly Musi river, which flows through the old city, and now this water body has been made into sewage and chemical drainage for the entire city.

From the north to south basin, the entire river is polluted. It also flows besides the High Court near Nayapul. Not only water, but air and ground are also polluted with it, she said.

"Why should the Old City carry the pollutants from the Hi-Tech City? Are apartments treating their own sewage waters as per rules?" she asked. Sarwath also asked the authorities in the representation, "For the citizens of South zone division, what steps are being contemplated to have pure rainwater and standard treated water flow into Musi River and in other water bodies?"

Apart from the poor maintenance of water bodies, she also said that the garbage handling and the sanitation in the entire Old City is poor and that it is another reason for health issue among the residents of old city.

"We also demand convening of immediate area sabha and ward committee meetings and to conduct street-wise, ward-wise baithak/shooras/meetings on locale-specific issues, so that the public have a proper voice and the redressal of grievances becomes easy," she added.