Hyderabad: Drive against industries in residential areas

Hyderabad: Following the rebuke from TS High Court over the rampant existence of illegal commercial establishments in residential areas, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), for the first time, has launched stringent measures against industrial activities, especially in Shastripuram Colony, by initiating regular inspections and announcements through loudspeakers.

Teams of GHMC sanitary wing are announcing through public address systems that 'no industrial activities, godowns and warehouses would be allowed to function in the residential areas colony and any such recalcitrance would attract stricter action by the GHMC against the violators.'

"Keeping in view of the HC directions, no industrial activities in residential colonies would be permitted and all the existing units will have to shut business or shift to industrial zone, this we are conveying through announcements while patrolling in the colonies.

The GHMC teams are inspecting the colonies through day and night patrolling to ascertain whether any illegal units are still operating or moved out of the area," informed liaisoning officer, GHMC Rajendranagar, Anjaneyulu.

"We will continue the inspections to ensure no such commercial activity begins its operations. We are also planning to erect notice boards at various places in the colony instructing the owners not to let out their premises for non-residential purposes," he informed.

"Despite the court order some of the units are still operating in the colony by falsely claiming that they have secured stay order from the court. It must be noted that the High Court has already instructed the sub-ordinate courts to refrain from entertaining such cases from Shastripuram colony.

However, the units, which were sealed a few months ago, under the cover of Covid 19 pandemic began their activities disregarding the HC order and grievances of the residents," bemoaned Shoukat Ali, a senior citizen and a resident of Shastripuram Colony.

Welcoming the GHMC's move against industrial activities, Mir Mushtaq Mirza, another resident, said, the GHMC finally woke up from slumber after getting a nudge from the HC. "Regular inspections and stern action against wayward units is imperative to get rid of them as they are troubling us hard since several years," he asserted.