Telangana's Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday, March 12, said the state government will disconnect electricity and water supplies to military authorities in the Secunderabad Cantonment area if they do not stop causing inconvenience to the people.
Speaking in the state Legislative Assembly, he said if the military authorities failed to mend their ways the government will be compelled to take strong action, and if necessary, will stop power and water supplies. Taking exception to closure of roads and certain other actions of military authorities, KTR said both sides need to have mutual cooperation when they are living in a city.
The military authorities closed roads in Cantonment as they chose to and also built a check-dam on a 'nullah' which is causing inundation of a residential locality, he alleged. "If we have to take tough action, we can. If they don't understand, we have to do something. If necessary, we will cut the electricity supply there. If necessary, we will cut the water supply as well. We will see what they will do then," he said. There should be peaceful co-existence, and the state government cannot keep quiet over closure of roads and building of check-dams, he said.
KTR, as the minister is popularly known, was replying to a question on Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) during the question hour.
KTR, who is son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said the military authorities should understand that Telangana is not a different country. "Our officials will hold a meeting with them. If they don't understand, we have to take strong action. If needed, we will cut water supplies to them," he said.
He said the defence authorities closed several roads in Cantonment area causing severe inconvenience to people and despite the state government taking up the issue several times with the Union government, they have not reopened the roads. He alleged that the defence authorities were also creating hurdles in executing SNDP works.
The minister asked the special chief secretary to immediately call a meeting with local military authorities and the Cantonment Board. He made it clear that the state government is ready to go to any extent to protect the interests of the people.
He told the House that the military authorities also constructed a check dam on Balkapur nala resulting in inundation of Nadeem Colony due to backwaters from Shah Hatam pond. He said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was also not allowing the municipal authorities to release the water from the pond downstream near Golconda Fort.
KTR slammed the Union government saying it neither provides funds for works like Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) nor allows the state government to do its work. He said the Union government has not provided even a rupee for SRDP, whose first phase alone is estimated to cost Rs 985 crore.
The minister said when he approached the Union government for funds for SRDP, they advised the state to join the AMRUT scheme. "The scheme is for cities above one lakh population. The population of Hyderabad is more than a crore. Rs 200 crore to 300 crore will serve no purpose," he said. "Such an attitude of the Centre is painful," KTR said.
KTR said Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy is a member of the Lok Sabha from Secunderabad constituency but has not been able to bring financial assistance from the Union government for SNDP.
He said the Union government has not provided even a paisa towards relief works in Hyderabad following floods of October 2020. He said the Union ministers and leaders visited the city after floods and posed for photographs but did nothing.
KTR said when there were floods in Gujarat, the Prime Minister himself visited the affected areas and announced flood relief of Rs 1,000 crore.