Harish Rao demands withdrawal of GO for Siddapur dump yard, warns of BRS stir

BRS leader T. Harish Rao demanded the withdrawal of the government order establishing a dump yard at Siddapur in Ranga Reddy district, alleging it would damage agriculture, pollute water sources and threaten livelihoods, while warning of a statewide agitation if the decision is not revoked.

Hyderabad: BRSLP deputy leader T Harish Rao on Monday demanded the immediate withdrawal of the government order for establishment of a dump yard at Siddapur village in Kothur mandal of Ranga Reddy district. He warned that the BRS would launch a massive people’s movement if the decision was not revoked.

His remarks came after farmers and residents from Siddapur and surrounding villages met him in Hyderabad, alleging that the proposed dump yard would destroy agriculture, pollute water sources and threaten their livelihoods. They urged the BRS to intervene and fight against the project.

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Harish Rao criticised the Congress government for issuing GO No. 641 to establish the dump yard over 86 acres, calling the decision as ill-conceived and detrimental to nearly 20 surrounding villages dependent on agriculture. He said farmers cultivating vegetables for the Hyderabad market rely on water from Gutta Cheruvu, located adjacent to the proposed site, and warned that the dump yard would contaminate both irrigation and drinking water sources.

He also raised concern that pollution from the facility would adversely affect devotees visiting the nearby Jahangir Peer Dargah.

The BRSLP deputy leader said during the previous BRS rule, the 334-acre land parcel, including survey numbers 252, 278 and 361, had been earmarked for an IT park to generate employment for local youth and spur regional development. He said replacing such a proposal with a dump yard indicated the government’s misplaced priorities.

Questioning the Congress government’s commitment to people’s governance, Harish Rao said employment-generating infrastructure was being sacrificed in favour of a project that would bring pollution and disease to a fertile agricultural belt. He maintained that waste disposal facilities should be located away from habitations and productive farmland.