Medchal voters root for solution to Jawahar Nagar ‘stinking problem’

Hyderabad: The infamous Jawahar Nagar dump yard which has caused contamination of groundwater has taken centre-stage in the Medchal constituency poll campaign. Voters are insisting the contestants to focus on providing a permanent solution by shifting the yard.

All parties have aggressively begun campaigning as there is going to be a tough fight between the Congress and the BRS, as Labour minister Ch Malla Reddy, has strongest cadre base whereas Congress aspirant Thotakura Vajresh Yadav and the BJP’s Enugu Sudarshan Reddy have their own traditional vote-bank.

Malla Reddy aggressively began a ‘padayatra’ by visiting localities in the segment with the primary objective of developing Medchal as a model constituency in Telangana. At the same time, Yadav has launched a full-fledged campaign by going to every doorstep, promoting the six guarantees.

During the aspirants’ canvassing, voters have submitted bond papers for signature stating once they come to power a permanent solution would be provided to the dump yard issue.

The residents have raised several issues, including basic needs like hospitals, educational institutions and ration cards.

“ The dump yard which is spread over 350 acres in Jawahar Nagar is the root cause of several issue in the segment , as around 3,500 metric tonnes of waste generated in Hyderabad is dumped there daily.

For the past several years, the residents have been facing tough times. The groundwater is polluted with the liquid flowing from the dump yard getting mixed with water pipeline. Only shifting of the yard can give relief to them,” said Sandeep of Medchal.

K Ramana Chary, president, Forum for Medchal and Malkajgiri District Development, and a local resident, said, “this time the scenario is going to be different in the constituency; we will vote for party which ensures to take up long-pending demands. The main issue is the dump yard; whenever candidates are meeting us, we are taking bond paper signatures from them that once they come to power they would solve the yard issue by shifting it within two years from the winning date.”

Said Suresh, another resident,“the segment needs overall infrastructural development, including schools and colleges, proper road and rail connectivity. We have been approaching parties to include the long pending civic issues as main the agenda. Also we will make sure that once they come to power they take up the pending issues.”