Hyderabad: Despite a recent order from the Telangana High Court to protect and maintain the greenery of the Public Gardens in Nampally, members of the Public Garden Walkers Association claim that the state government has not followed the court’s directive. They allege that the government is conducting events that are damaging the garden’s green spaces.
The walkers pointed out that the central lawn of the garden has been dug up multiple times to set up tents for dignitaries, including judges, military officers, and politicians. This has harmed both the landscape and the dignity of important historical sites surrounding the garden. These sites include Jubilee Hall, Jawahar Bal Bhawan, the Health Museum, Indira Priyadarshini Auditorium, Lalitha Kala Thoranum, and the YSR Archaeological Museum. It has been a week since the court issued its order, but no action has been taken yet, and garbage can still be seen in various parts of the garden. The walkers noted that this issue has persisted even under previous governments.
Mohammed Abid Ali, a social activist and regular morning walker, expressed his frustration. “It is very surprising to see that despite court orders, the state government continues to violate the rules. Right now, the Public Garden is being prepared for an upcoming function, Liberation Day, which will be held on Tuesday. The entire lawn has been dug up, making it difficult for us walkers to do our daily activities. The repeated digging is also affecting major landmarks inside the park,” he said.
Sarwar Pasha, another daily walker, added that the Public Gardens, also known as Bagh-e-Aam, was built in 1846 during the Nizam’s rule and is one of the oldest gardens in Hyderabad. “It’s been over a decade since the garden was renovated. Despite the High Court’s order to stop using the garden for government functions, these activities continue, causing damage to both the environment and the heritage buildings. This is a clear violation of the court’s directive given last week,” he said.
