Drainage row sparks week-long protest in Rasoolpura
Residents allege sewage leakage contaminating borewell water; seek urgent SCB action
Hyderabad: Tension remains high in Indiramma Nagar, Rasoolpura, under SCB Ward No. 2, as residents continue their peaceful protest, accusing the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) Engineering Section and its contractors of gross negligence.
The agitation, which began on February 2, has entered its second week, with locals claiming that authorities have yet to initiate any corrective measures despite repeated appeals.
At the heart of the agitation is the alleged illegal construction of a drainage manhole adjacent to a borewell that serves as the primary drinking water source for the locality.
Residents claim that sewage water is seeping into the groundwater, directly affecting more than 150 families. According to locals, children, elderly persons and women in the area are suffering from fevers, skin diseases and other infections, raising fears of what they call a “man made health disaster.”
Residents say that despite repeated written and verbal complaints to the SCB Engineering Section, the SCB CEO, DGDE, PDDE, and the Cantonment President, authorities have failed to take any concrete action. They claim this continued inaction left them with no option but to stage a dharna seeking immediate intervention.
The matter has now been taken up with higher authorities, including the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the DGDE, the PDDE, and the Human Rights Commission, with residents seeking an urgent inquiry and strict accountability. The protest is being led by Shaik Nayeem, former AMC member of the Government of Telangana and convener of BVM, Ward 2. Several local residents, including K Yadagiri, Toufeeq, Gaffar, Jabbar Jr, Zubair, Saikumar, Saleem, Naser, Chandraiah, Yousuf and Akber are actively participating.
Nayeem Pasha said the protest is continuing as no work has commenced yet. “The dharna began on February 2, and it has been over a week now. Residents have been visiting the Cantonment office regularly, urging officials to take action, but there has been no progress,” he said.
The residents are demanding immediate removal and scientific reconstruction of the drainage line, safety and quality testing of the borewell water, and strict action against negligent officials and contractors. They warned that if authorities fail to act swiftly, the agitation will be intensified in the coming days.
