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A ‘green’ abode
Unlike the hustle-bustle of industrial colonies here, Meenakshi Estates offers an environment so serene that one wonders if they are indeed in Jeedimetla.
Meenakshi Estates, conferred with ‘Best Model Colony’ award in twin cities, offers a peaceful environment with its lush green landscape that comprises nearly 2,000 trees out of which 1,000 are maintained by the colony's Welfare Association
Jeedimetla: Unlike the hustle-bustle of industrial colonies here, Meenakshi Estates offers an environment so serene that one wonders if they are indeed in Jeedimetla.
Awarded as the "Best Model Colony" in twin cities by Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister KT Rama Rao, the colony boasts of a safe and clean environment for its residents. It was established in 1994 with only a few plot owners. Now, it houses nearly 300 families of mostly businessmen and employees of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL).
The colony’s lush green landscape comprises of nearly 2,000 trees out of which 1,000 are solely maintained by its Welfare Association who nurture them with manure obtained from decaying leaves and other biodegradable objects in special composting pits.
"The residents too have taken it up as a responsibility to grow trees in their compounds and surroundings. Today there is no house in the colony without a plant or tree. Over 1,000 plants are being taken care of by individual families," shares Rajesh Chenna, General Secretary of Meenakshi Estates Welfare Association.
The four magnificent parks maintained by the Welfare Association in collaboration with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) include a special walking arena that caters to residents of other colonies living in the neighbourhood.
Despite no garbage bins on the streets, the colony's footpaths and roads remain litter-free indicating the responsibility of the residents towards keeping their surroundings clean. Hence, GHMC Mayor Bonthu Rammohan Reddy and Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy conferred the "Swachh Colony" award to Meenakshi Estates.
“All the households are religiously segregating dry and wet waste before disposing them off to the GHMC garbage collectors. Now we decided to set up a decomposing plant to recycle the reusable waste collected from the houses in the colonies," informs Rajesh.
Not only that, nearly 60 per cent of the households own rainwater harvesting pits apart from the eight pits constructed by the Welfare Association because which the colony has ample water even during the dry season.
Safeguarded by six cameras and five watchmen, the colony residents remain protected round-the-clock due to which the crime rate has seen a drastic fall in the past 15 years.
"More than a colony, we are like a huge big family. We celebrate all the festivals together and organise sports activities through the youth association that we have formed in the colony.
Even women and senior citizens have separate associations of their own," says Prahlad, President of Youth Association of the colony. A special state-of-the-art e-library too had been set up by the association for book lovers in the colony.
By Maitreyi Tadepalli
