Activists decry move at top of their lungs

Bison Polo Grounds: Several people gathered at the Bison Polo Grounds in the morning carrying placards to protest against the plan of the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to construct a ‘vastu-compliant’ Secretariat here on Sunday.

For the past one-and-a-half-years, a group of citizens have been raising objections to the State government’s proposal for a new Secretariat. Omim Debara of Right to Walk Foundation said, “There is enough and more space at the present Secretariat and there is no need for a new one. The Bison Polo Grounds is a part of city’s heritage and provides much-needed lung space. We have written thousands of letters to the Prime Minister’s Office in protest. We have to save the space for the younger generation.” 

Last year, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed against the State’s plans by ex-DGP M V Bhaskara Rao, former cricketer Vivek Jaisimha, war veteran and squadron leader Anil Bhalla and chartered accountant Turlapati Bharadwaj.  Three other well-known persons have filed an impleading petition which is coming up for hearing on Tuesday. 

Social activist Lubna Sarwath says, “It is matter of grave concern that the ‘State of Environment Report’ sponsored by the Ministry of EF&CC Report of 2018 states that flyovers do not result in more private vehicular travel. They also drastically increase emissions. The report is clear that flyovers not only increase pollution but do not decongest the roads as well. They will dissuade people from using public transport and lead to increase in number of private vehicles. Still the Government of Telangana and CMO do not pay heed to science or sense, and make construction of secretariat as their top priority.”
School children, athletes, morning walkers, cricketers, police training youth, footballers and locals gathered at the grounds. Vijay Mohan, TJAC, Prof Purushottam, convener of TJAC, Omim Debara (Right to Walk Foundation), Shankar Narayan, architect, Dr Lubna Sarwath of Socialist Party (India) Telangana, and Gulshan Bomboat of Sainikpuri Welfare Association, were present.