Hyderabad: Lockdown a blessing in disguise for polluters

Hyderabad: Though the Novel Coronavirus is creating a havoc all over the world, it has come as a blessing in disguise for the operators of illegal units in Shastripuram Colony of Rajendranagar.

The High Court had given a notice to GHMC at the last hearing to act against them by April 7, the next date of hearing of the case pertaining to illegal and polluting commercial units in the residential colony.

The court recently directed GHMC, Pollution Control Board and electricity department to form a team and work together to evacuate all the illegal polluting units from the colony.

However, a team which entered the colony a few days ago to disconnect power supply of the units had to beat a hasty retreat as operators confronted them.

However, the local residents smell a foul play and allege that the officials are adopting a 'selective approach' by leaving out the influential and going after only small units, said Mir Mushtaq Ali, a resident of Shastripuram Colony.

The GHMC has issued notices to 400 plus units in and around Shastripuram. The High Court is serious that all the polluting units be removed from the residential colony. GHMC chief Lokesh Kumar is to appear before the court on April 7, and submit an action taken report.

"Even though the High Court clearly ordered all the lower courts not to entertain the matters pertaining to Shastripuram Colony, some of the officials are refraining from taking action, going by the 'lies' of operators that they have secured court stay orders," criticised Syed Shoukat Ali, another resident of the colony.