HYDERABAD: The over two-century old foundation stone of Mir Alam Tank in Hyderabad was found broken into two pieces on Monday morning, due to a larger construction going on around the area which activists are claiming to be against norms.The foundation stone, which was laid on July 20, 1804, has inscriptions both in English and Persian on either of its sides.
The message in English reads, “This bank was constructed by Meer Allum Prime Minister of his HSS the Soubahdar under the direction of SH Russul ESOP of Corps of Engineers of the Madras Establishment. It was begun on 1804 AD and completed on 1806 AD.
”Near the foundation stone is a bungalow that was built in 1889 by the Mir Turab Ali Khan, the first Salar Jung. The bungalow, which was treated as a guest house by the Salar Jung family, now looks neglected, and the area has been cleared, as construction has been planned in the area.
Lubna Sarwat, a social activist and the state general secretary of the Socialist Party, India, said the move was in direct contempt of the High Court’s Errum Manzil judgement. “The High Court, in its stinging order, had urged the government to maintain Hyderabad’s history. This foundation was more than 200 years old and should have been looked after,” she said.