HYDERABAD: Despite the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s tall claims, that Hyderabad has achieved open defecation free (ODF) tag, residents of Lal Saab Guda in Gajularamaram are yet to see any toilets. Walking to the nearby forest with a mug of water in hand is a reality that they have to face on daily basis. In the locality, which is devoid of a drainage network, sewage flows near the citizen’s homes. Even areas like Bathukamma Banda and Devendra Nagar do not have a commissioned underground drainage pipelines (UGD).
“Even though we live in a city, we feel like we are in a village. In March, the authorities told us that they would install toilets but it has not happened till now,” said a local of Lal Saab Guda. Ergo, due to the poor drainage system, mosquitoes have become a major issue, the locals point out.Due to a lack of water connections, residents are forced to shell out at least `20 for a water can of 20 litres. “We pay `20 per barrel and every time a water tanker comes, we spend `100. We would have no problems if we had water connections,” said Yadamma, a local of Bathukamma Banda.
Speaking to Express, Ravula Sheshagiri, corporator of Gajularamaram said that the lack of drainage network was because of the ongoing Mission Bhagiratha work. “GHMC is not giving us a ‘no-objection certificate’ due to the ongoing Mission Bhagiratha work,” he said. About Lal Saab Guda, he said that the locality had been neglected due to lack of connectivity. “We had to buy a piece of land from Dundigal forest range to construct a connecting road to the village. It’s a matter of time before the development facilities reach the locals there,” he added.
The stretch connecting Gajullaramam Junction and Devendra Nagar, a 3 km stretch, is in dire need of a new road. While there is a motorable road on one side,, the same cannot be said about the other. With gravel covering the entire stretch, forcing the locals to gasp for clean air as long as they have the misfortune of driving on this road