HYDERABAD: The residents of Srinagar colony in Tirumalagiri are up in arms against alleged illegal dumping of garbage by the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) for the last three years. The open ground in ward number 7, which once served as a playground and even houses a community hall and public library, has turned into a dumping yard. “SCB has been dumping garbage here without any official orders. The officials stop disposing waste when President of India visits Hyderbad for a southern sojourn every year as the dumping yard is located on the way to Rashtrapati Bhavan in Bolarum. After the President leaves, the illegal dumping is back again,” allege residents.
“We have constructed a library and a modern gym in the community hall. But the pungent smell emanating from the waste has made it difficult for us to use it. Moreover, the open space has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” said P Prabhakar, a resident living in the locality for the last 20 years.
Meanwhile, it has become next to impossible for N Suresh, a techie from the locality, and his family to stay right across the dumping yard. “People have stopped coming out of their houses in the evening. Also, there is no place for children to play in the ground. We have made several complaints in the past but no action has been taken yet,” he said.
No official permission
Bhagya Shree, an elected member of ward-7, reiterated that no official permission was ever granted by the SCB to dump of garbage at the open space. “Garbage from all eight wards of SCB is dumped here. I have discussed the matter several times at the board meeting but in vain. Even other members are not willing to cooperate,” she said. Meanwhile, SCB maintained that there has been no other dumping yard for the localities under its limits. “We will soon try finding an alternate place. Centre has already released Rs 50 crore for garbage treatment plant,” said Chandrasekhar, CEO, SCB.