All a case of forgotten facts?

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MAY 19. "Which edition of the Clean and Green programme is this," the Minister for Roads and Buildings, Mr. K. Vijayarama Rao, asked. A simple question. But, one for which an answer was not forthcoming that easily.

An uneasy silence prevailed among the large official contingent standing with folded hands around him at the Kotta Cheruvu, Shaikpet, on the city outskirts here on Saturday. Even the gentle breeze blowing from the water body sounded like an armada on the march. Only blank looks met the Minister's cold stare from behind his dark glasses.

The Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, Dr. P.K. Mohanty, turned to his public relations man who chose to look the other way. "What is this. How can you do something like this," the MCH Commissioner, a bright red in the face, chided an aide.

Mr. Rao now turned to his ministerial colleague, Mr. C. Krishna Yadav, for an answer. The latter looked around for support. But, failing to find any, he stared back blankly. Now, Mr. Rao surely saw red.

An embarrassed Collector, Mr. Rajeshwar Tiwari and a cringing Dr. Mohanty were sent scurrying to find out the answer. In no time, they were snarling into their mobiles. Surely, this was turning into a wild goose chase.

A game of bureaucratic roulette at its best as the Roads and Buildings Minister shrugged. A wry shrug it was heralding the commencement of the 32nd leg of the Clean and Green programme -- he still had doubts about the number relayed by Dr. Mohanty.

Even as the number imbroglio was given a silent burial, a local resident assailed the MCH Commissioner for "mowing down a community graveyard in the name of road widening and subsequently debris clearance from the tank." No amount of explanation could convince the man and a peeved R&B Minister sealed the issue, saying he would look into the matter while an exasperated Dr. Mohanty slipped into his vehicle. "But you have been assuring this for the past three years," the man's plea got drowned as the fleet of vehicles sped away.

And so the Clean and Green programme began again -- remember, this is supposed to be held every third week of the month. There were red faces and some more elusiveness as the entourage landed at Bathur Kunta beyond Prasasan Nagar on the foothills of Ramanaidu studios where debris removal work was on in the lake to facilitate rainwater harvesting.

To their dismay, a huge sewage disposal unit set up by the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority was found right in the middle of the lake. "Where is the HUDA representative," the Ministers sought to know. This time, there was a sepulchral silence. Dr. Mohanty rained a series of charges against HUDA which was "indiscriminately giving building permissions in the lake area nullifying whatever little the MCH has done."

The R&B Minister nailed the officials, saying when encroachments had become the bane of several tank beds in and around the city, "this kind of official endorsement made matters worse." He directed HUDA to relocate the sewage unit and also the layouts that were cleared in the area.

Surprisingly, a HUDA official surfaced at the Langar Houz lake on the fringes of the Golkonda fort where hyacinth was being removed from the 33-acre lake bed. "You seem to have started the work today. What is the use now when rains are around the corner. You are only wasting public money," Mr. Vijayarama Rao remarked. He said it was better if the work was suspended as was being done in the coastal districts. At Tummalakunta lake below Filmnagar, much of the tank area was encroached upon and new constructions were also coming up.

The team also visited Suram cheruvu in Bandlaguda and Guram cheruvu near Barkas and inspected the debris clearance works. "The effort is to remove the debris from tanks and strengthen the bunds so that rain water can be harvested more effectively," he said.

Quoting a study, the R&B Minister said if 7 to 10 per cent of the rainwater was harvested the drinking water problem of the city could be solved permanently. "Even if the Krishna waters are brought to the city by 2006, the harvested water will make the drinking water position comfortable," he said. Expressing satisfaction at the pace of works at several lakes such as Khajaguda, Chintalabasthi and so on, he said works did begin in right earnest. "One can see the results two years from now," he affirmed.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : 'Only Cong. can get separate Telangana'
Next     : Rally of candle lights today in memory of AIDS
           victims