Hyderabad: Facing flak for stating that it was demolishing the Secretariat because it was not vastu-compliant, the Telangana state government has changed its tune and claims the buildings are old and unsafe.
The Congress has filed a petition in the High Court, and other parties have sharply criticised the government for wanting to demolish the Secretariat building for such a paltry reason.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had openly blamed "dangerous vastu defects" in the building during several Cabinet briefings including one recently.
The government's new argument is that none of the blocks comply with fire safety rules; if a fire breaks out, there could be loss of lives, property and crucial documents and files. The government has got the fire department to certify the lack of fire safety in some buildings.
Telangana govt cites security risk at Secretariat
The government has got the fire department to certify the lack of fire safety in some buildings, like C-Block, which houses the Chief Minister’s office, where there is no space for fire engines to enter.
The buildings also pose a grave security threat to the VIPs, the government claims, and G-Block, constructed by the Nizams in 1888 and not in use since 22 years, may collapse any time. The buildings also lack inter-connectivity and staff get drenched moving from one block to another during rains.
The case filed by Congress MLA T. Jeevan Reddy to prevent the demolition is expected to come up for hearing on Tuesday. The government has decided to file a counter in the High Court highlighting all these ‘safety issues’ to prove the buildings must be demolished and new ones built.
A high-level committee of senior IAS officers had a detailed discussion with law department officials on Saturday to finalise their counter argument
