HYDERABAD: While Hyderabad Road Development Corporation Limited’s (HRDCL) four-lane link road is cutting through Khajaguda heritage rocks, the illegal dumping of soil and rock blasting by private persons continues.
According to citizens living in the vicinity of the rocks, rock blastings were heard on Thursday late night and on reaching the spot, they found illegal borewell digging taking place in the rock areas.
“The Sub Inspector stopped the drilling. With the vigilance of citizens and the timely action of the police, their plan to dig a borewell within the protected area was foiled. But the larger question remains. Despite so much proof that vested interests are destroying Khajaguda rocks in contravention of HC order, why is the government not taking action,” said a tweet from the ‘Save Khajaguda’ handle.
The campaigners have in total identified nine spots in over 180 acres where different kinds of destruction by various parties are taking place.
According to them, the destruction began in 2009 when a few rocks were blasted to lay a kachha road for two religious structures in the place. The other destruction sites include an illegal granite mine, converting rocky areas into flatlands using loose soil, building extension to the religious places, the road by HMDA etc.
“The HMDA had removed protected status for the land in January 2019 and eventually in April, despite HC granting it protection again, the HMDA failed to reinstate the protected status which has led to all these issues. We have knocked on every door including writing to HMDA Commissioner Arvind Kumar, but found no support,” added Arun Vasireddy, a campaigner and ecologist.