The Hindu : It's official: Mayur Marg area puts up with stench

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 11, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

It's official: Mayur Marg area puts up with stench

By M.L. Melly Maitreyi

HYDERABAD July 10. If you believe unhygienic conditions prevail only in slums like Ambedkarnagar, which have no access to basic amenities, think again. Even posh areas in the heart of the city, housing prestigious institutions and upper middle class households, are no different.

The drainage system, rather the lack of proper one, is a great leveller, it appears.

Sound this poser to the residents of densely-populated Mayur Marg area in Begumpet, housing reputed schools and dozens of apartment complexes. They pour out their woes.

``In spite of the recent outbreak of mysterious fevers and gastroenteritis in parts of the city and a series of knee-jerk reactions from the Government, what still remains woefully neglected is the basic hygiene and a smooth drainage system,'' complained a resident.

A highly polluted nala (drainage channel) passing from Kukatpally to Hussainsagar through residential areas in Begumpet, opposite Hyderabad Public School, reeks of an unbearable stench besides posing a health hazard to the over 10,000 residents and schoolchildren in the area.

Two schools, Gitanjali Higher Secondary School and Devnar School for the Blind that is right on the bank of the nala, over nine residential complexes in the narrow lane that often gets inundated with drainage water, and several slums are situated abutting the nala.

The nala, which was meant to drain out rainwater, has been turned into an open drain with industrial effluents and domestic sewage being directly let into it. Besides having to live with the stink, mosquitoes, flies and all kinds of insects, residents have been suffering from respiratory problems and skin allergies. The polluted nala has even contaminated the groundwater and residents would have to make do with yellowish colour water from the borewells, which cannot be used for drinking, complains a resident, K. Ramavathar.

In the rainy season, because of the drainage flow, the situation is slightly better but for the rest of the year, it's a curse the residents are forced to live with. The apathy of officials only makes it worse.

The Vamsy Span's Collective Homes Owners Association had been representing the problem to officials of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority, and the A.P. Pollution Control Board, in the last three years to no avail, lamented the association office-in-charge, Uma Maheswara Rao.

The corporation takes up removal of silt before commencement of the rains and occasional spraying of insecticides, but no concrete measures for a permanent solution.

A retired doctor points out that unless the direct letting of effluents and sewage into the nala is banned, and an underground drainage system to carry the domestic sewage is in place, the problem will persist.

There is no change in the situation even after a representation to the Chief Minister who had seen for himself the plight of residents during his visit to the area, ironically, during one of `Clean and Green' programmes a few months ago, the residents say.

The Citizen's Service Centre of MCH which had given the grievance registration No.03ENG1057 to yet another representation submitted by the Vamsy Association in February this year still shows the status as `pending'.

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It's official: Mayur Marg area puts up with stench