Where slum dwellers have no rights

GHMC, take note # 4: Constituency: Malkajgiri

About 25, 000 households in Uppariguda, Pittabasti, Leprosy colony, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Kasturbhai Nagar, Doddabasti, Talla basti, Ekalavya Nagar, Harijana Basti, Father Balaiah Nagar, Indira Nagar and other slums in the Malkajgiri constituency are still waiting for pattas even after the State government issued GO 58 and GO 59 pertaining to regularise the government lands for the poor.

Upto one lakh voters living in about 22 slums in the nine divisions of the Constituency have no pattas since Independence."In spite of several representations to political leaders, government officials, collectors and Corporators, we have not received pattas for our houses," said M Kanakaiah, a 70-year-old living in a slum in Ammuguda in Neredmet.

"People living in all nine divisions in the constituency have been facing a similar problem, even after the bifurcation,” he added. Eshwar, resident of Uppariguda slum in East Anand Bagh said that the hope of improving their standard of living is a distant dream after the State formation. "We have been living in the 40 sq ft houses in Uppariguda, which were sanctioned during Jawahar Lal Nehru’s tenure.

Three generations have passed but, we are still living in the same house with at least eight members on an average," said Yellaiah, a 50 year-old labourer in Gandhi Nagar slum in Moula Ali. Several houses have been constructed under various government schemes including Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY), JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) and Rajiv Gruha Kalpa (RGK) but, are vacant for the past ten years.

Yellaiah opined that slum dwellers would be indebted to the State government if it sanctions these houses to the poor in the wards. Surprisingly, the State government has sanctioned only 400 two-bedroom houses to the urban poor when there about 25,000 households in all nine divisions in the Constituency.

Damaged roads & poor sewerage
Damaged roads, overflowing drains and water leakages are common sites in all divisions in the Constituency.The Railway Under Bridge (RUB) in East Anand Bagh has finished about 80 per cent of its construction and has been waiting for completion since six months."Due to the delay in constructing the RUB, we have been suffering with traffic jams for hours travelling in the narrow roads to reach Malkajgiri crossroads, which is about 1.5 km from East Anand Bagh," said Kiran, a resident of RK Nagar.

The areas in Vinayak Nagar are in pathetic condition with overflowing drains flowing into drinking water tanks. Preethi, a housewife in Kakatiya Nagar said, “Due to poor sewerage network, the overflowing sewerage water in the adjoining colonies has been mixing with the drinking water and we are forced use it.” She added that the concerned officials and political leaders have not addressed these issues even after several complaints.

When Lakes turn sewerage ponds
Lakes in the area like Banda Cheruvu, Safilguda Lake and RK Puram Lake are either encroached by local party leaders or turned into sewerage ponds, with sewerage pipelines from adjoining residential colonies leading into the water bodies. “Earlier, the Lake Park used to have amenities like drinking water, canteen and boating facilities. Families and visitors used to come here and spend quality time.

But, all those facilities have been ruined and including play installations for children are dilapidated now. Many times, kids playing here have been injured,” said Ramakrishna, a resident of nearby colony in Dwarakamai Nagar. “Besides this, there are about 10 ponds in the constituency, which are encroached by the local leaders,” he added. When contacted, the Ex-Corporators refused to comment on the issues.