Musi needs to be developed for Hyderabad’s future: Dana Kishore

A group of activists met Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD), and Managing Director of the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation M. Dana Kishore on Friday, to represent the concerns of people set to be displaced by the project.

At a day-long meeting with them, several aspects of river beautification, development and rehabilitation were discussed. Mr. Kishore made it clear that Musi river needs to be revived if the city’s future is to be secured. He reminded them of campaigns by social workers, including Medha Patkar, for saving the river.

High-level committee

He said that a high-level committee will be formed soon to ensure a smooth process of rehabilitation. The government wants to develop the Musi along the lines of the Thames in London and Han river in Seoul, South Korea.

Mr. Kishore invoked celebrated IAS officer S.R. Sankaran and said that rehabilitation is being taken up in his spirit, through consultations with NGOs and displaced families.

Survey

Special focus will be paid to the employment of the displaced, and a survey is being taken up towards this. An action plan is being prepared to provide livelihoods with focus on self help groups.

A committee is being constituted with SERP manager Divya, GHMC Commissioner Amrapali Kata, CDMA Director V.P. Gautham, and Joint Managing Director of MRDCL Pujari Gautami, which will take an initiative to provide interest-free loans through MEPMA and take up employment generation and training programmes under Mahila Shakti scheme.

He also spoke about double bedroom housing to the Musi-displaced, and legal compensation in case of patta land. It has come to the government’s notice that several people have patta land inside the river bed, and they will be provided compensation through Collectors, he said.

He also promised to ensure that the academic year is not disturbed for students due to the process of rehabilitation. A two-day survey will be conducted starting from September 28 to enumerate students, right from Anganwadi centres to colleges. Mapping will also be done so that the students can get admission in schools closer to 2-BHK colonies allotted to them.

Based on their interest, students will also be given admission in nearby government residential schools.

Activists who attended the meeting include G. Haragopal, V. Sandhya, Lissy Joseph, T. Sriharsha, Mohammed Ahmed, Sameera Begum, Syed Bilal, Anjum Yasmeen, Faria Begum and Sara Sultana.

Published - September 27, 2024 10:56 pm IST