Residents of Macha Bollaram’s 133rd division in Hyderabad are protesting against the local civic body, accusing it of taking over their graveyard. To address the issue, they have formed a Residents Welfare Joint Action Committee (RWJAC).
According to the residents of Sai Reddy Nagar, a generous man named Samala Venkata Reddy had purchased 10 acres of land many years ago. He donated five acres each for Hindu and Muslim graveyards, where people from nearby areas have been conducting funerals for their loved ones.
Recently, the civic body brought in JCB machines and workers to level the ground and set up a mini dump yard. Residents claim that the local authorities plan to dump garbage in this area, which has raised serious concerns among them.
On Saturday, residents informed Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender about the situation. They said officials had promised to remove the garbage in the evening, but instead, waste is being dumped continuously. The presence of the dump yard has led to groundwater pollution, unbearable odors, and an increase in insects. Many residents are also suffering from respiratory and skin diseases.
Despite revenue officials confirming that the land is a graveyard and denying permission for any construction, municipal authorities are still attempting to turn it into a garbage dumping site.
After hearing the residents’ complaints, MP Etala Rajender assured them that he would take up the issue with higher authorities and the In-Charge Minister. He also directed Municipal Authority Srinivasa Reddy to stop the construction immediately and find an alternative location for waste disposal.
