Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

People's estimate for desilting works

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD April 29. In tune with her promise of providing a transparent administration, the MCH Commissioner, Chitra Ramachandran, has announced a people's estimate of the works to be taken up for desilting of nalas and storm water drains next month.

As per the plan which she conceded was `not new', the MCH would make public 325 works to be taken up in the seven circles at a cost of Rs. 3.04 crores. The civic body would give details of the work proposed to be done and the estimated amount.

Further, it would give the break-up of the description of work, quantity, rate, time period and the amount sanctioned for the works ward-wise. "These details would be made available at the ward committee offices and would also be put on the MCH website,'' said Ms. Ramachandran at a press conference which she addressed along with the Mayor, T. Krishna Reddy here on Monday.

Of the 325 works, 311 would be done with manual labour and the rest with the help of poclains. By the second week of May, the website would also give details of the progress of the works. The effort was to dovetail these estimates with the financial and audit sections. This transparency would also help `prevent harassment of those working'.

Desilting of the drains was an annual exercise of the civic body to avoid chockage and ensure free flow of water before the onset of the monsoon. The storm water drains length was about 800 km of which 125 km were major drains. Since, sewerage system covered just 40 per cent of the city, these drains were utilised for discharge of sewerage resulting in they getting clogged. About two lakh catchpits too would be cleared of silt.

With regard to encroachments of nalas, the MCH Commissioner said she would involve the revenue authorities to look into the relocation of the people. To a suggestion, Mr. Krishna Reddy said he would take up the initiative to discuss the issue with the city MLAs. "We will first concentrate on desilting and later decide on how to widen and remove encroachments,'' he said.

The MCH was also waiting for a report being prepared by a private agency to provide a solution to the perennial rainwater chockage points in the twin cities during monsoons, Ms. Ramachandran added.

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