Hyderabad: Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) KT Rama Rao said that no aid has been provided by the centre for the mitigation and relief post the Musi river floods that took place in October 2020 in the city of Hyderabad.
The minister said that as a response to questions posed in the assembly regarding the subject of the government’s flagship Strategic Nala Development Programme’s (SNDP) phase 1 aimed to expand and regularise the obsolete Nala network.
“Some big leaders including union cabinet ministers came and visited the flooded areas back then. We expected them to bring some funds along with them. They came, took photos, expressed grief and demanded the state government to do this and that. But, even after 18 months, we haven’t received at least a half paise help from the centre,” he said. ” But when Gujarat had floods, the Prime Minister himself went there and provided Rs 1000 crores aid to them. This is a matter of shame,” he remarked.
KTR also targeted Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, who is the MP from Secunderabad and said that even though Kishan Reddy is representing part of the city, he has no interest in helping the people of the city by getting central funds.
“We have also approached them for funds regarding the SNDP programme. The centre said that funds will be provided under the Amrut scheme where all cities above the population of 1 lakh are eligible. But Hyderabad has a population of over 1 crore. So if we get a mere 100 crore allocation under that scheme, looking at the size of the city, it won’t be enough to even clean our tongues,” he said attacking the centre.
The minister further said that 276 potential points in the city have been detected where clean water and sewage can get mixed up and the process of rectification is underway. “During the previous government, only 46 per cent of sewerage used to be treated. But under Hon’ble CM KCR, for Hyderabad to become a global city, 100 per cent sewerage treatment is being targeted by the government. Rs 3866 crores are being spent on this project and all the works related to this idea will be completed by the month of December. 37 Sewage Treatment plants are being built. Hyderabad will be the first city to gain the capacity of treating 2000 mld sewerage,” he asserted.
KTR said that there were no records available on the date and material of pipes laid during the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad formed during the times of the Nizam. “After we have hired Shah Consultants, a Pune based firm for planning the SNDP programme, we have created records for all these pipeline networks. Depending on when and what material was used for a particular sewerage pipeline, the necessity of replacing or repairing it can be understood. The firm has mapped the whole inventory and has recommended the government to change a few pipelines immediately and also a few inline. Not just the old MCH, also the municipalities under the new and bigger GHMC are mapped. A strategic plan with a budget total of Rs 11000 crores has been put in place,” KTR informed.
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