Hyderabad: Prominent activist Dr. Lubna Sarwath, along with other concerned citizens such as Dr. Jasveen Jairath, Er. Prameela Kumari, Er. Jaipal D. Reddy, Poetess Sanghamitra Malik, and Ms. Talha Jabeen, have come together to urge the Telangana government to reinstate GO 111. The repeal of this government order, which took place during the first cabinet meeting at the new Secretariat, has raised concerns among these individuals.
Finance Minister T Harish Rao briefed the media on the meeting’s proceedings, saying that the rules and regulations in force for lands within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits would apply to the 84 villages in the revenue mandals of Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, Moinabad, Chevella, and Shabad – all of which fall within the 10-km catchment area of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.
The Chief Minister stated in April of last year that the GO was no longer needed. “It was given to safeguard the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, which served the drinking water needs of the Greater Hyderabad region at the time. But since the state government had finally surmounted the drinking water scarcity that had impacted the capital district and had developed appropriate substitute water supplies, the GO is redundant,” he said.
GO 111 which was initially issued in 1996 holds significant importance due to its role in protecting the environment and ensuring sustainable development in Telangana. Its implementation aimed to safeguard 84 villages and prevent the pollution of the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar reservoirs, which have been providing drinking water to the region since 1921 and 1927, respectively.
After government repeal the order, Dr. Sarwath and others point out that the Telangana government had previously filed an affidavit in the High Court on September 6, 2022, affirming that the bans imposed by GO 111 were still in effect. Consequently, the repeal of GO 111 raises concerns regarding the subjudice nature of the matter.
They have also highlighted the absence of significant welfare measures that the government claims to be implementing.
