Waterlogging returns to haunt residents on Hyd’bad outskirts

Hyderabad: Residents of Osman Nagar, on the city outskirts, are once again facing waterlogging. For them as well those in Bandlaguda and surrounding areas, rainy season brings more misery than relief, as it is submerged again. As the flood water level in the area is up to four feet people are living in distress.

Even as rain receded a few days back, and most areas recovered from inundation, residents of Osman Nagar are still reeling under the rain impact. Over 200 houses are still under surplus water from Osman Nagar lake, and sewage.

Angry locals allege that their pleas to officials to drain out excess water have fallen on deaf ears. During the Hyderabad floods in October 2020, there was a similar situation in these areas. It has been flooding during every monsoon since then. However, officials say many houses have been built on the lake FTL; that is why they were still under water.

Residents protested the apathy of the concerned authorities and political leaders as they reportedly failed to reach out to them. They cry out that despite several complaints none visited the locality.

“Water-logging, overflowing drains have now become a matter of concern for us; we can’t step out in case of an emergency.

We have suffered a lot last year too; now we face the same problem following the recent heavy rain,” said Mujahid Ahmed of Osman Nagar.

“The residents have been suffering for the last four years; several complaints have been made to the State government to provide respite to people from flood water. The government and Education Minister and Maheshwaram MLA Sabita Indra Reddy also did not bother about Osman Nagar people sufferings,” said Uzma Shakira, a local leader.

Syed Abdul Raof, an activist, said to prevent water-logging, the civic body has to make an outlet from Burhan Cheruvu from which water flows to other lakes. “After development at either side of the lake, the nala connecting and flowing to theIbrahimpatnam Lake was closed. As a result water had clogged these areas.”

With this inundation, residents are staying in rented houses, despite having their own property, which is still under water. “Despite several requests to officials no initiatives have been taken to address the issue,” said a local leader.

Fifty-year-old Shaik Saleh, a labourer working at a factory, said earlier these families had no option but to live at relatives’ houses. But after a few months they had to shift to another place. “We belong to a poor family and have built a house by working as labour. Our entire hard-earned money has sunk in water.”

As the monsoon continues, the urgency to address the water-logging issue in Osman Nagar remains critical. Residents hope that the government will take immediate action to find a permanent and effective solution to their long-standing problem.