HYDERABAD: The State government’s move to construct a separate Vinayaksagar - for the purpose of immersion of Ganesh idols - in its attempt to cleanse Hussainsagar has met with opposition from various political parties at the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at Secretariat to discuss the issues of Hyderabad on Tuesday.
While the BJP objected to the proposed move observing that it would hurt the sentiments, the TDP too warned that it would result in disturbing communal harmony in the city. The MIM suggested that the government promote the concept of decentralised immersion of idols. With the sophisticated technology in place, cleansing of Hussainsagar is very much possible with a concerted effort without disturbing present practice of immersing Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar lake, TDP leader Errabelli Dayakar said. “As per the requirement, there should be six pollution treatment plants in the lake, but currently only two of them are operational,” he said.
Congress leader KR Suresh Reddy advised the government to elicit the views of religious leaders as the clumsy handling of the issue might stoke communal tensions. MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi recalled that it was only during then Chief Minister late Channa Reddy’s period in office in 1984, the practice of immersing Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar has begun.
Meanwhile, on the issue of regularising and providing pattas to poor families who have been residing in shanties in Hyderabad consensus have arrived at. The Chief Minister informed the leaders about his plans to construct skyscrapers around Hussainsagar lake. Leaders of all parties approved this proposal. When some leaders wanted the Chief Minister to make Hyderabad as Singapore, Rao retorted: “Hyderabad has a world wide recognition and it does not need any comparison with any other world city. Hyderabad will be developed as Hyderabad”.
Meanwhile, on the landgrabbers issue, the Chief Minister said that the government would provide information about landgrabbers and the encroachment of government and other lands in the city to the all-party leaders. He said that he would convene another round of all-party meeting on December 16. The issue of landgrabbing, construction of Vinayaksagar and Metro Rail alignment change will be discussed in that meeting.