Green Secretariat

Hyderabad: The four-member Technical Committee, constituted to study the facilities available and condition of the existing Secretariat, on Wednesday submitted a 200-plus page report to the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Roads and Buildings Minister V Prashant Reddy.

The report feels that the present secretariat was not fire-proof and it does not have any fire-fighting system in place. Even from the ventilation point of view, it was not up to the standards.

The technical committee recommended construction of new secretariat with 100 per cent green cover and all modern safety systems. The report explained in detail the drawbacks in each block.

The committee observed the safety and security measures provided in the C Block which has the Chief Minister Office was not up to the standard and does not meet the norms prescribed by the state Fire Safety and Intelligence wing of the police department.

The decades-old congested lift and the cramped offices allotted to Chief Secretary SK Joshi and state Special Advisor Rajiv Sharma do not meet the present-day requirements. Even their chambers do not have enough space to hold meetings with officials or to meet foreign delegates.

Sources said that most of the Secretaries chambers in other blocks were also not work-friendly. For instance, R&B Secretary chambers has no waiting room for visitors and officials. However, on the issue of demolition of heritage structure, G Block, sources refused to reveal the nature of recommendations made. They only said the matter was pending in court.

The technical committee headed by R&B Engineer –In – Chief I Ganapathi Reddy, accompanied by state Special Chief Secretary to Roads Sunil Sharma, met the cabinet committee members and handed over the report to them. This report would now be placed before Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and after he gives his clearance it will be submitted to the High Court.