GHMC Park under encroachment menace

Gopanapally: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Park at Diamond Heights, Gopanapally of Serilingampally division, is being encroached by locals. The locals first placed an idol and within a few days built a room. 

When the GHMC got wind of the doings, the civic body sent a demolition squad and gave a week’s time to remove the idol but to no avail. Consequently, on the complaint of a few residents, police personnel too visited the park and gave one more week’s time but within this period, locals built a room. The locals of Gopanapally indulged in encroachment of the GHMC Park in the survey numbers 209(P) 212, 213, 232, 233,235 (P) 236, 237, 239 and 240 of Diamond Heights, which is under the government jurisdiction.

When the residents of Sri Sai Park View Apartments, Diamond Heights Colony informed the GHMC about the encroachment the officials along with Police came and discussed with the locals who had encroached the park and gave one week time for the locals to remove the illegal structures in the park. They asked encroachers to give a written statement to GHMC officials in such a way that they are going to remove in a week.

But after that exactly in a week the locals started constructing proper room with iron frame. Ex Town Planning Officer (TPO) Ravindra and ACP Hari took action on it by sending the team to demolition and all the iron particulars were removed. But, after the strict orders from police department again the locals started doing the same.

D Pradeep a resident of Sri Sai Park View Apartments said, “In the first week of April, a group of people came into the GHMC Park and started constructing the basement of a temple without any legal sanction and proper permission from the Revenue Officials. In the base structure made of Granite boulders they have erected a Vinayaka idol and started the ritual pujas and offerings. This unauthorised structure exists till date.”

Joly Puthussery, associate professor at University of Hyderabad (UOH), who stays in the same apartments, told that the builder of Sri Sai Park View Apartment along with his well-wishers requested the encroachers not to indulge in such an illegal act which will lead further complication in the secular fabric of present community who live around the area. But the encroachers turned deaf ear to their plea and cut down large amount of the existing plantation inside the park. They made a thatched shed around the idol and continuing the ritual activities by employing a pujari.”

This act clearly shows their mala fide intention to grab the GHMC land in the name of temple and use it for political, personal and commercial gains. The installation of idol meant for illegal occupation of the land. Regardless of that, puja is being performed by some of the members of the colony despite having several temples in and around the colony within the radius of half kilometer, said Mahaboob Basha, G Stayanarayana babu, Tony Kurien and Surya who stay beside the GHMC park.

GHMC Deputy Commissioner V Mamatha said, “On Wednesday officials along with police went to the encroached park and inspected. The issue under consideration and we are waiting for the Police to take an action.”

BY Mohammed Hussain