Caught between SCB and MoD, Basti Bazar residents await amenities

None of the residents, who say they have been living in the Basti Bazar area for 80 years, have a toilet or water connection in their homes.
For representational purposes ( Photo | EPS)
For representational purposes ( Photo | EPS)

HYDERABAD: Caught in the crossfire between Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) over jurisdiction, residents of 108 Basti Bazar in the city still await individual toilets and proper water supply to their homes.  

None of the residents, who say they have been living in the Basti Bazar area for 80 years, have a toilet or water connection in their homes.

A 32-year-old resident Lauren, says, “None of us in the Basti have a toilet or water connection. For years we have been asking the SCB and defence officials to construct public toilets for us, but all our pleas have landed on deaf ears.” 

Lauren said that to procure water, the residents have to depend on SCB’s water tanks. “Lack of toilets in the area is forcing our women and children to defecate in the open,” laments Lauren.

A defence official said that the area is reserved under Quarter Master General of India, and can only be used for military purposes. “We cannot allow any construction on the land, and it is the SCB’s job to take care of the basic needs of the people, not ours. If the SCB wants land, they can take up the matter with the MoD.” 

Meanwhile, an official from SCB said that they were aware of the problem but could not take up the construction of toilets as the area is under the A1 Defence area of the Army wing. “As far as basic amenities are concerned, we are providing them water tankers and we are further trying to arrange for other basic things.”

The official added that they have written to defence officials to provide basic amenities to the people.

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