Hyderabad: As many as 3,000 registered resident welfare associations, comprising more than 25 lakh residents from across Greater Hyderabad, are against the GHMC commissioner’s decision to write to the state government asking it to stop demolition of illegal structures and implement the Building Penalisation Scheme. The commissioner had taken this decision after corporators protested against the demolitions in their constituencies.
The residents said that though the civic body and the state government will get big monetary returns by implementing the Building Penalisation Scheme (PBS), it will not deliver justice to the people fighting to clear illegal construction. This move by the Telangana government will only encourage more unauthorised buildings, said the residents’ associations.
The residents’ welfare associations will also challenge the government’s move in the court. Meanwhile, the demolition drive continued on Saturday and 54 structures were knocked down — 42 in Rajendranagar industrial area and 12 in other circles. O. M. Debra, a civil society activist, said, “The demolition drive is on in the wards from where the Opposition leaders have been elected. They are facing pressure from the building owners in their areas. In turn, the Opposition leaders are putting pressure on the corporation to stop the demolition drive and regularise the buildings.”
B. T. Srinivas, president of Malkajgiri Resident welfare association, said, “Every time a new government comes into power, it tries to regularise illegal buildings and collect fines. As a result, the violators go ahead with their illegal constructions knowing that the state will legalise it.” “It is not regularisation of illegal constructions but regularisation of the corruption in the GHMC. The Resident welfare association will fight against the regularisation of illegal buildings”, added Dr G. Venkateshwar Rao, general secretary of Greater Alwal Allied Service Association (GAASA).
