Hyderabad: Minister K.T.Rama Rao on Saturday warned that the government would stop power and water supply to the defence areas in the Secunderabad Cantonment limits, if the Local Military Authority (LMA) blocks roads and creates hurdles for development works planned by the state government.
Speaking during Question Hour in the Assembly, Rama Rao said the LMA has been subjecting residents to severe hardships by blocking roads frequently. Besides, check dams were constructed by LMA obstructing flow of water in the nalas, he said.
Residents of the areas to the northeast of the city have complained that the LMA closes roads passing through the Secunderabad Cantonment, cutting them off from the city and necessitating long and tedious road trips.
Rama Rao said that instructions had been issued to Arvind Kumar, Special Chief Secretary of municipal administration and urban development department, take up all these issues with the LMA and to initiate stringent measures if it continues to inconvenience residents.
He said that the defence authorities had constructed a check dam in Langar Houz, where the Balkapur nala flows into the Hussainsagar, and this structure was posing a threat to Shahtham tank.
As a means to ensure free flow of water from Shahtham tank near Golconda Fort downstream, a few works were planned but the Archeological Survey of India denied permission, Rama Rao explained.
"On one hand, the Centre denies funds for the development of Hyderabad. On the other hand, it blocks the state government from undertaking development works by imposing restrictions in Cantonment areas. Telangana is being discriminated against and treated as if it was not part of India,” Rama Rao said.
“We made several requests to defence authorities not to block roads and cooperate with the state government for undertaking development works. There is no response from them. We will be compelled to initiate stringent measures against them such as cutting power and water supply to their areas to safeguard the interests of residents," Rama Rao said.
The minister said that even after 18 months not a single paisa was released to Hyderabad as compensation after the city was ravaged by floods in October 2020. A team of Central officials and elected representatives had visited the city and inspected affected areas but funds were not released.
Replying to queries, he said the Centre had not contributed to the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) and the state government was taking up the project on its own at a cost of nearly Rs 1,000 crore.
"When we sought funds for SNDP, the Centre said it will include these works under Amrut Phase-2. Amrut funds will be allocated to cities that have just one lakh population but Hyderabad has a population of over one crore. If the Centre release Rs 200 crore to Rs 300 crore to Hyderabad under Amrut, what purpose it will serve,” he asked.
