Hyderabad: This Old City basti serves as ‘incubator’ for mosquitoes

As one enters Banu Nagar basti in Santoshnagar ward in Old City,  piles of garbage can be found in every nook and corner of the locality.
A view of garbage dumped in the open at Banu Nagar basti in Santhoshnagar ward in Old City | sayantan ghosh
A view of garbage dumped in the open at Banu Nagar basti in Santhoshnagar ward in Old City | sayantan ghosh

HYDERABAD: As one enters Banu Nagar basti in Santoshnagar ward in Old City,  piles of garbage can be found in every nook and corner of the locality. The air is dusty, the stench from the open dumpyard and the apathy of officials have left the residents seething with anger.  Sanitation has been a major issue across the basti. The garbage dumped in open spaces serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.  Residents say that lack of maintenance by the GHMC officials have compounded the sanitation issue. “Piles of rotting garbage and the dustbins lying without covers are cleaned by GHMC workers only on Fridays and sometimes occasionally, Gurfan, a resident rued. 

“On top of that, the area is cleaned only after the residents pressurise GHMC officials as devotees assemble at a masjid next to the spot to offer jumma namaz,” he said. Meanwhile, another resident said, “We have been given the hope that many officials are interested in maintaining sanitation in the area but the basti is an eyesore.” 

When the ward corporator Mohammad Muzaffar Hussain was contacted, he said, “I am unaware of where this open dumpyard is. I will send my workers to the said locality and make sure that the area is cleaned regularly.” The state of water facility in the locality is appropriate, however, the residents of  residential colony of Halandar Nagar receive water  for just an hour on alternative days.

Tarannum, a resident who works as a domestic help, said the everyday struggle for water adds to her hardships and the repeated efforts to urge the corporator to solve the issue have only gone futile.   Meanwhile, the condition of the roads have been no better. Apart from few interiors in Santoshnagar, some of the roads have been dug up for construction of roads. 

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