Residents, animals at risk as Deepti Sri Nagar dump burns
Hyderabad: Residents in colonies surrounding the Deepti Sri Nagar Waste Transfer Station in Chandannagar Circle, Serilingampalli Zone, are facing severe air pollution and health risks due to the burning of garbage at the dump yard for the past ten days. This practice is causing significant health problems for people, as well as harming dogs, buffaloes, and other wildlife in the area.
While speaking to Hyderabad Mail, Mahathi, a resident living near the dump yard, shared her concerns. “There’s a huge GHMC dump yard behind my house, and they’ve been burning the garbage for the past ten days,” she said. “This has unfortunately attracted stray dogs, raising safety concerns especially for the ragpickers’ children who frequent the area. Just last week, a tragic incident occurred where a six-year-old boy was mauled to death by a dog,” added Mahathi.
Mahathi’s primary concern is the air pollution. “Smoke is constantly billowing out of the dump yard, day and night,” she explained. “They even throw twigs and logs to keep the fire burning all the time. It’s gotten so bad that we can’t even open our doors and windows.”
Very unfortunate to witness the best worst waste transfer stn of @GHMCOnline at Deepti Sri Nagar under @Dc21Ghmc
Surrounding colonies’ citizens r getting affected due to pollution n workers, dogs n buffaloes condition😔@revanth_anumula@CommissionrGHMC @ZC_SLP @HiHyderabad pic.twitter.com/6TbG3RFCog— Vinay Vangala (@vinay_vangala) June 13, 2024
Mahathi has filed complaints with various authorities, including her colony association president, GHMC, the State Pollution Control Board, and the Central Pollution Control Board. “Despite repeated complaints, there has been no action from any of them,” she said. “They all just say they’ll look into it, but nothing happens.”
Social activist Vinay Vangala expressed his disappointment with the situation. “It’s disheartening to see what’s happening at Deepti Sri Nagar,” he said. “This is supposed to be a waste transfer station, but it’s turned into a major source of pollution. The surrounding colonies are suffering, the workers’ health is at risk, and the condition of the dogs and buffaloes is even worse. This needs to be addressed immediately.”
Karthik, Health Officer of Serlingampalli, clarified that this is not an act of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). He said it is done by outsiders, and they are tracing the culprit behind the incident. However, he acknowledged that it is the agency’s responsibility to handle things at the waste transfer station. Therefore, a penalty of ₹20,000 has been imposed on the agency. He further clarified that the burning is not happening every day, but only on those days when the fire is not properly extinguished. Orders have been issued to control the burning and take necessary action.
Vinay Vangala took to ‘X’ and posted that “Very unfortunate to witness the best worst waste transfer stn of @GHMCOnline at Deepti Sri Nagar under @Dc21Ghmc. Surrounding colonies’ citizens r getting affected due to pollution n workers, dogs n buffaloes condition. @revanth_anumula, @CommissionrGHMC @ZC_SLP @HiHyderabad.”
CM Revanth Reddy reorganizes disaster management for Greater Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has decided to assign critical responsibilities to the Disaster Management Department within Greater Hyderabad. He has directed officials to implement structural changes and redistribute responsibilities accordingly. In a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday evening, the Chief Minister discussed the reorganization with officials from Municipal Administration, HMDA, and Musi Development.
Expansion of disaster management responsibilities
Recognizing the geographic expansion of Hyderabad, the Chief Minister ordered the Disaster Management Department to extend its jurisdiction to the Outer Ring Road. He suggested including GHMC, 27 surrounding municipalities and corporations, and 33 gram panchayats within its service area. The department will be renamed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection (HYDRA). The Chief Minister proposed appointing a DIG-level officer as the director and SP-level officers as additional directors. He also recommended special teams from GHMC, HMDA, the Water Board, city traffic, and other departments to join this new division.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for the Disaster Management Department to offer continuous services to city residents, not just during floods or emergencies. HYDRA should actively address all issues faced by Hyderabad’s citizens, including preserving the city’s tanks and ponds, protecting government properties from encroachments, and managing hoardings and flex banners. Additionally, HYDRA will oversee water pipelines, electricity supply lines, drainage, flood management, and traffic control.
Focus on heritage and infrastructure projects
Chief Minister Reddy directed the acceleration of the Musi River Development Project, aiming to elevate Hyderabad’s international reputation. He stressed the importance of working towards the government’s goal of transforming this project into a landmark. He also ordered officials to take necessary actions to restore historical buildings and structures within the city. The GHMC presented a PowerPoint on various heritage sites, such as the City Library, Charminar Ayurvedic Hospital, and Nizamia Observatory etc. The Chief Minister encouraged exploring ways to develop these sites for tourism and integrating feasible ones into the Musi River Development Project.
The Chief Minister instructed Chief Secretary Shantikumar to draft a comprehensive reorganization plan, including staffing, duties, and budget allocations for HYDRA. He also emphasized identifying key areas where the Disaster Management Department can enhance its operations.
The meeting included Chief Secretary Shantikumar, Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Danakishore, GHMC Commissioner Amrapali, GHMC Vigilance Disaster Management Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, and Hyderabad Water Board MD Ashok Reddy.
