HYDERABAD: The sloppy state of the city’s heritage sites, monuments, and tombs of historical relevance has always been a bone of contention between the government and heritage activists. Making matters worse, these structures have now turned into breeding grounds for several vector-borne diseases.
Take Shah Hatim Talab, for instance. The works that were aimed to divert spillage from the Talab during the monsoon season were stopped, but the half-dug drainage system caused waterlogging, which in turn, resulted in the breeding of mosquitoes in the area.
The lesser-known monuments and tombs that are scattered across the residential areas of Shaikpet and Tollichowki have either become favourite garbage dumping spots or jungles of weed and wild bushes. This has paved the way for incredibly unhygienic conditions in the area. Ahmed, a resident of Shaikpet, points to the tombs near the Gilmi Gulshan Dargah (in shambles) and says: “The authorities do not care about these tombs, the residents have turned them into a garbage spot. As monsoon descends, different kinds of insects start breeding here.”
Mohammed Habeebuddin, a Waqf activist, said: “The area around Moti Darwaza is a dumpyard. The destroyed boundary foundation of Golconda has become a dumping area as well. A moat near Naya Quila has been turned into an open drain. The municipality has not bothered to fumigate these areas.”
Anuradha Reddy, INTACH convenor for Hyderabad, however, talks about the irresponsibility of the residents and the municipal corporation in dumping/clearing garbage. “First of all, the areas around these structures are protected. If the government is allowing residential construction around these areas, then the municipal corporation should be cleaning these areas as well. However, residents should also understand the importance of these heritage structures. They have to keep the area clean and sanitised,” she said.