Open plots reserved for development of parks and green belts in the city are becoming breeding grounds for diseases. The situation is even worse in posh localities such as Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills.
People are using the open plots to dump garbage and as open air lavatories. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation-owned “park land” on Road Number 78 of Jubilee Hills is a classic example of how vacant land and open plots are being misused with officials of the civic body turning a blind eye.
Environmental scientist Dr S. Jeevananda Reddy said that garbage dumped in the GHMC “park” in Jubilee Hills is being burnt resulting in smoke entering houses in the vicinity and causing inconvenience to the residents. Mr Reddy, whose residence is adjacent to the park, says he is disturbed by the stench, mosquitoes, smoke and nuisance that the park has become.
“A few months ago, garbage was set on fire and the raging flames threatened to spread to the surrounding houses. I had to call the fire department to douse the fire. This land is meant for a park but the GHMC is not developing it,” he said. Another nuisance that citizens have to put up with is that people from nearby slums in the city are using the open plots as a place for urination and open defecation. This problem is even more prominent in open plots that are in the vicinity of construction sites and slums.
“The GHMC should tax the owners of vacant land and also hold them responsible for maintaining their plots,” said S.V.C.N. Acharyulu. According to Ma Rahmath, footpaths are hard to see in the colonies including the up market areas such as Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. “House owners have either constructed ramps or developed greenery encroaching the footpath area. Footpaths should be left open for pedestrians to walk on. The GHMC should act tough against footpath encroachments in Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills as house owners are not doing any service by developing greenery. Instead they are depriving the pedestrians of their safe walking space,” he said.
GHMC officials said that a full-fledged park will be developed in the land at Road Number 78 in Jubilee Hills this financial year. Also, the corporation is in the process of issuing notices to owners of vacant plots to pay “vacant land tax” and to ensure that their open plots are not used as garbage dumping grounds, officials said.