Graveyards in Old City not cleaned for Shab-e-Barat
The GHMC had approved works for almost every major Muslim graveyard in the Old City, but contractors have not completed the job
Hyderabad: Muslim community members and public representatives complained that the cleaning of graveyards in the Old City had not been completed in time for the Shab-e-Barat, which falls on Sunday night this year. Many Muslims pay a visit to the graveyard on Shab-e-Barat.
The GHMC had approved works for almost every major Muslim graveyard in the Old City, but contractors have not completed the job. Corporators complained that a few contractors had succeeded in getting the contracts by bidding a small amount against the estimates and carrying out substandard works.
Locals said that when they visited one of the biggest graveyards of the city, Daira Mir Momin at Sultan Shahi, they found debris and garbage spread around the graves. Mohammed Abul Samad, a local, said, “We are forced to clean the area around the graves of our family members as debris and garbage had not been removed.”
Moghalpura corporator Nasreen Sultana said the GHMC has approved works worth Rs 6.7 lakh to remove weeds and whitewashing in the Daira Mir Momin. On the complaints of residents she inspected the graveyards in her division and found that the contractors would not be able to complete the works in time.
She claimed that when she alerted the officials about the slow pace of work, contractors swung into action on Saturday but she was not satisfied with the quality. She requested the GHMC commissioner not to clear the bills unless the works are evaluated by a team of experts.
Shalibanda corporator Mustafa Ali Muzafar said his division had 25 graveyards and the GHMC had delayed approving the works. In about half the graveyards, no work had been started; where the work had started, only 10 per cent was complete.
This correspondent tried to contact N. Samrat Ashok, GHMC Charimnar zonal commissioner, and Guntu Giri Babu, AE of Charminar sone, but both did not respond.