Protest against sub-station

Petlaburj: Call it an official apathy or a case of corruption, but the decision to install electric sub-station in front of a mosque in Old City has rattled many. Social leaders from different political and apolitical groups have staged a protest against this proposal.

The Electricity Department has allotted the place in front of Petla Burj Jama Masjid on Purana Pul road for installation of sub-station. This decision has been flayed by all the social groups in consensus.

The protesters termed it a disastrous step and it may cause a human loss in future since there is a petrol bunk on one side and a hospital on the other side. Besides this, the activists also called it a case of corruption and an attempt to close down the road towards a 150 year old mosque.

The local leaders have staged a protest against the decision and demanded the State government to take immediate steps to revoke the decision. Wakq Protection Society president Osman al Hajri said that State government is not serious for safeguarding the mosques and other religious structures in Old City.

He later questioned the rationale behind installing an electric sub-station in such a vulnerable place. He mentioned that all the activists would fight against it and will never allow it to happen.

Former CPI MP Aziz Pasha asked the Waqf Board to take suo moto action in order to stop such activities in front of any waqf structure in the city. He said that it was a well calculated decision to close down the road towards the old mosque.

Different organisations including Muslim Shabban, Telugu Desam, and Congress besides local leaders have participated in the protest and voiced against this step. They said that they would meet the TS Electricity Regulatory Commission on this issue.