Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation ignores SOS, SCB hires labourers to clean venue

The SCB had, ahead of the public meeting, sent in multiple requests which became increasingly desperate as the days flew by, to the GHMC to help it clean the Parade Grounds.
Workers carry out arrangements for PM Modi’s meeting at Parade Ground in Secunderabad, on Friday. (Photo | vinay Madapu, EPS)
Workers carry out arrangements for PM Modi’s meeting at Parade Ground in Secunderabad, on Friday. (Photo | vinay Madapu, EPS)

HYDERABAD: Left high and dry by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) was forced to engage as many as 250-300 daily wage labourers on Saturday to clean up the Parade Grounds for the Vijaya Sankalpa Sabha that was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP brass on Sunday.

The SCB had, ahead of the public meeting, sent in multiple requests which became increasingly desperate as the days flew by, to the GHMC to help it clean the Parade Grounds. In its SOS, the SCB reminded the civic body that when Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held a massive public meeting at the Parade Grounds, it was the same GHMC that took up a sanitation exercise, clearing litter, filling potholes, arranging streetlights and mobile toilets for the people, as well as spraying bleaching powder. However, the GHMC remained unmoved to the entreaties of the SCB, saying that it has no jurisdiction over the Parade Grounds. GHMC authorities also told the SCB to make arrangements on its own.

With no option left, the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) authorities engaged 250 to 300 private labourers and deployed them to clean up the ground of litter and spray bleaching powder.GHMC officials told Express that the main roads leading to the venue come under the civic body’s jurisdiction and they had employed sanitation personnel to remove garbage and debris, shrubs and weeds, and fill up even the smallest of potholes and ensure no water was found to be stagnating.

In a small concession to the SCB, the GHMC arranged five mobile toilets that were stationed at different points around the ground for the convenience of those attending the Prime Minister’s public meeting. Each mobile toilet has ten units.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com