HYDERABAD: As political parties battle it out ahead of Assembly elections, citizen groups have come together to remind them about the green duties. The ‘Forum for Better Hyderabad’ and 36 other citizen groups have come together and released a ‘Green Manifesto’. The 14-point manifesto, made for all political parties, urges them to address a whole gamut of issues affecting the environment, especially in urban cities like Hyderabad.
One of the crucial points the manifesto notes is the need to have a new master plan for Hyderabad that is environmentally sustainable, which includes an overhaul of the underground sewage lines and increased number of STPs so the water let out after human use is treated scientifically.
“Areas like Cyberabad and Madhapur need special design intervention because even a 2 cm rainfall brings the area to a standstill. We need a city-wide planning of stormwater drains and effective utilisation of rainwater harvesting” noted M Vedakumar, chairperson of the Forum for Better Hyderabad.
Another crucial aspect of the manifesto is the need to invest in RTC and MMTS and improve the last mile connectivity. “The government must put in more money into the public transport,” noted the manifesto.