Expedite nala desilting works, Talasani tells GHMC officials

Hyderabad: Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav on Friday held a review meeting with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) engineering officials and instructed them to expedite the nala desilting works as the monsoon has already arrived in the State. The entire storm water drain network in the city would be revamped, he said. “In city and its peripheries, 1,368 km of drains are being strengthened. In coming days advanced technology will be used to desilt nalas by procuring latest machinery,” he said.

During the review meeting, GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar said that desilting works on 256 drains with an estimated cost of Rs 44.45 crores were completed. “Till date, 221.04 km of storm water drains were desilted using machinery and the silt from 663.11 km of drains was removed manually, totalling to 884.15 km of desilted drains in the city,” he said.

Later, speaking to the presspersons, Srinivas Yadav said while removing the encroachments, the State government will have a humanitarian approach towards economically weaker sections. Authorities have decided to crack the whip on high rise buildings and big developers in case constructions were spotted on storm water drains, buffer zones and full tank levels of lakes.

“Before demolishing nala encroachments, the poor will be rehabilitated in 2BHK houses under the State government’s flagship programme,” he said. The Minister said the government was engaged in fixing the damage done over decades and has taken up massive developmental works in the last seven years. Home Minister Mahmood Ali, Mayor G Vijayalakshxmi and Deputy Mayor Mothe Srilatha Reddy were also present.

“In the coming month there will be an exclusive workshop pertaining to nalas which will be held under the supervision of Municipal Administration Urban Development Department (MAUD) Minister KT Rama Rao. A committee will also be formed,” Srinivas Yadav said.