Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Stinking reminder of official apathy

By J.S.Ifthekhar

HYDERABAD Jan. 11. For years this area has been saddled with a reputation for squalor and illicit liquor. While the last one remains, the place is fast pulling itself out of slime and sludge. Those travelling from Mangalhat to Puranapul will know how impassable this stretch used to be with the overflowing drains and stinking `gudamba' making matters worse.

Today there is a dramatic transformation in this area. The road is motorable and free of slush. In some places patches of grime can still be seen but by and large the seedy look has gone. The turn around has come about during the last one year with the local corporators doing their bit.

Ramnarayan Yadav (TDP), who represents Mangalhat, admits that overflowing drainage has been the bane of this area. He has given special attention to this problem and to a great extent it is rectified. However, a stinking public urinal on the road and a garbage dump in front of Prakash theatre is causing problems. "It's a nuisance," says Mahesh Singh, who runs a kite shop. The garbage dump has become a bone of contention with the sanitary staff of Circle II and Circle IV quarrelling over jurisdiction.

Noticeable change can be seen in Mangalhat, Dhoolpet and Seetarambagh areas forming part of the Ward Committee VI. The other divisions such as Sultan Bazar, Jambagh, Aghapura, Asifnagar, Begum Bazar, Chudi Bazaar and Darulshifa are fairly good. This sprawling ward committee has a sprinkling of both the pre-modern and modern areas - high-rise buildings and slums existing cheek-by-jowl.

Drainage and drinking water remains a common problem in most of the areas. Though it is not exactly their outlook, some corporators are going all out to arrange for water tankers.

Areas like Natrajnagar, Mujahidnagar, Sarwarnagar under Seetarambagh division have high mast lights. Four more high mast lights are yet to be installed, says the corporator, Mohd. Yousuf. Much to the delight of locals, the Charkandil crossroad in Aghapura is a well-lit junction now. The area is named so as during the Nizam regime the place had four lamps. But for the last several years this `chowrasta' remained just a dark spot. "In the recent past there have been a number of snatching cases in this area. But things have improved now. I must thank the Majlis corporator, Mohd. Nazeeruddin," says Maitri committee member, Muneeruddin Mukhtar.

People living in and around Chisti Chaman-Razdarkhanpet are a worried lot. This low-lying area gets flooded every time it rains. "There is a proposal to lay a storm water drain at a cost of Rs. 15 lakhs to solve the problem permanently," says Mubeen, the Aghapura corporator.

The Standing Committee chairman, M. Madhu, who represents Jambagh area, does not have many problems to look after. The major problem here is of mounting garbage generated by the market. The slum dwellers of Suryanagar and Hanumanbanda are a happy lot for they got individual water connections. These areas have also got Shahabad flooring.

"We get a lot of contaminated water. The pipelines in this area are old and rusted. They need to be replaced," says Nagaraj, a resident.

Traffic congestion and narrow roads are a main problem of Chudi Bazar division. The commercial areas of Begum Bazar, Bartan Bazar, Feel Khana are always chock-a-block. Vijayalakshmi, the local corporator, has plans to widen the road to relieve traffic congestion. She also intends to have the `chatri' reinstalled at the crossroads. Though the Begum Bazar Chatri is a popular landmark, there is no chatri now.

Most of the people here have to contend with contaminated water. Another nuisance is the fish market in the area, which functions in most unhygienic way. In spite of the local MLA, Prem Singh Rathod, and the Mayor, T. Krishna Reddy's recent visit to the market, things have not improved.

The general complaint in Darushifa division is of inadequate drinking water supply. "The pressure is very low and many areas hardly get water. There is a proposal to construct a water tank," says Syeda Mumtaz Fatima, corporator. Most corporators have been able to fulfil 60 to 70 per cent of the promises made during elections and they admit it.

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