GHMC financial crisis hitting bastis hard: Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad: Union Minister Kishan Reddy criticised the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) under Congress governance, stating that its severe financial crisis is directly affecting poor bastis across the city. Touring Chacha Nehru Nagar basti in Sanathnagar constituency, on Thursday, he said even basic civic issues remain unresolved, leaving residents in distress.

“Streetlights are not being repaired, storm water drains are not desilted, and encroachments are worsening flooding. The government must wake up and act immediately,” Reddy declared. He emphasised that Hyderabad’s brand image depends on resolving traffic problems, ensuring clean drinking water, restoring drains, and repairing roads in bastis.

The minister also joined a community awareness programme against child marriages, calling the practice both a social evil and a violation of law. He urged society to unite against it and pledged alongside residents to fight for its eradication.

On the drug menace, Reddy accused the state of failing to act despite promises. He warned that ganja trafficking is destroying youth and fueling violence, urging a war-like response with strict investigations into cultivation, transport, and consumption. Regarding the Musi River project, he opposed demolition of long-standing poor households, stressing that development should not come at the cost of justice.