Problems galore for cash-rich Peerzadiguda civic body

Hyderabad: Dwellers in one of the fast-growing Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the Telangana state - Peerzadiguda Municipal Corporation, located near Uppal in Greater Hyderabad limits on Hyderabad and Warangal highway, are grappling with plenty of civic problems.

Though the booming realty with skyrocketing prices of lands is filling the coffers of the poll- bound municipal corporation with huge revenues, the plights of the dwellers remain unresolved.

Mosquito menace, foul smell emanating from Musi and lack of public health facility are the main problems encountered by the locals in the Peerzadiguda Municipal Corporation which is set to go for municipal polls on January 22.

With a total population of nearly 52,000, the corporation has been constituted by merging 3 Grama Panchayaths i.e, Peerzadiguda, Medipally and Parvathapur.

It is surrounded by the Musi river and two other famous Peerjadiguda and Parthapur lakes.

As the parties mainly ruling TRS and Opposition Congress and BJP are busy luring the voters in the poll campaign, the locals held the government responsible for the poor civic amenities in the urban area which also emerged as educational hub with international schools and engineering colleges in the Greater Hyderabad limits.

A 50-year-old M Srinivas said that he has been staying in the corporation area for 10 years. The yearlong main problem being faced by the locals is the mosquito menace.

Several pleas were made to the authorities but no action was taken to eradicate the mosquito problem. The corporation hardly takes up fogging regularly.

"As a result, the vector-borne diseases are common in the corporation limits. In the last season, the number of dengue cases increased many fold but the authorities are least bothered about it," he said.

Even then, he added, the government did not take care of public health as not a single permanent urban health centre was opened in the corporation till date.

Foul smell emanating from the Musi river also caused respiratory diseases for the local people. The local public representatives and officials made the promise of stopping the discharge of industrial effluents in the Musi which also emits hazardous gases.

The problems faced by the people living in the poor colonies in the corporation are plenty. No proper drinking water facility has been provided in these slum areas.

They have to go to other colonies to fetch water for drinking and daily usage. Vegetable vendor Vignesh explained the difficulties his family is facing because of acute water shortage on daily basis.

He said he bought a second-hand bike despite his poor financial condition just to fetch water from a nearby colony to his residence.

Giddamma, who is also a vegetable vendor, said that she will not vote any political party this time as the basic problem of water is not resolved and the damaged roads are also not repaired even after several pleas were made to the local leaders.