Hyderabad: Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender wrote an open letter on Sunday, questioning Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy about the Musi River beautification project. Etala raised several concerns about the project and its impact on local people.
In the letter, the BJP MP asked if the project was an excuse to hand over land to “big people” to build malls in the name of beautifying the Musi River. He demanded that the state government reveal its action plan for cleaning the river and questioned if a Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been prepared.
Etala also asked what plans the government had for people whose homes were being demolished as part of the project. He expressed concern about houses worth crores of rupees being torn down and replaced with double-bedroom houses.
In his letter, Etala compared the Musi project to other river projects. He pointed out that cleaning and developing the Sabarmati River Front cost about Rs 2,000 crore, while the ‘Namami Ganga’ project cost Rs 22,000 crore over 12 years. He questioned how the Musi project could cost Rs 1.50 lakh crore and asked for details about the company involved in the project.
Etala clarified that he supports efforts to rejuvenate ponds and water bodies to maintain ecological balance and prevent floods. However, he noted that ponds, which once helped people, are now polluting groundwater and causing health problems for those living nearby.
He strongly objected to the demolition of houses that were built 40 years ago with government permission. He said these demolitions were ruining the dreams of poor people who had worked hard to own a home. Etala urged the chief minister to respect the law and not misuse his power to harm the poor.
The BJP MP also criticized the government for projecting people who bought land and built houses as law-breakers. He recalled how former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao had promised to clean the Musi River for ten years but had done nothing.
Etala mentioned that he visited several areas, including Panigiri Colony, Marutinagar, Chaitanya Puri, and Prajay Engineering Syndicate. He questioned how demolitions were being carried out without determining the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zones of ponds. He warned that these actions could harm the future development of Hyderabad.
Concluding his letter, Etala stated that he would continue fighting for the rights of the poor. He expressed his willingness to attend an all-party meeting chaired by the chief minister, emphasizing the importance of making decisions that serve the people.
