Hyderabad: The SCB authorities encroached on a British era Catholic cemetery at Bowenpally Crossroads and carried out demolitions. The Board wants to make a bus bay there.
Father S. Bernard, vicar general of the Hyderabad Archdiocese said, “The cemetery measuring 34 cents has been existing since 1922. It was under the control of the British in the Cantonment area. In December 1955, the graveyard was handed over by the British High Commission and since then it has been with the archdiocese.
“About five years ago, the SCB demolished the wall and took 30 feet from the cemetery. However, two weeks ago they earmarked another 40 feet to which we objected. We approached the SCB who promised to conduct a re-marking, which was not done. On September 7, without any notice, they demolished three rooms, a compound wall and encroached our graveyard.”
The total area of the graveyard is 15,062 square feet. “The SCB demolished a Social Psycho Education Services and Empowerment of Women Centre and a compound wall without any notice. They have again marked to acquire more land. The SCB is refusing to take the land of a Muslim graveyard, which is near the cemetery. The earlier compensation was not given,” added Father A. Arogyam, principal of Infant Jesus institutions.
When contacted, the SCB said, “We are not taking a single inch of cemetery land. Marking would be carried out and whatever excess land is there, which belongs to the SCB, will be taken for road widening and all encroachments will be removed, leaving the cemetery intact.” The SCB CEO will inspect the area on Wednesday morning and take a decision.
SCB asks Street vendors to register, get licensed
The Secunderabad Cantonment Board has said that street vendors in Cantonment limits must be registered with it. The Board authorities made it compulsory for all vendors doing business in the SCB area to get registered with it and to obtain licenses at a special budget meeting on Tuesda.
Ward 5 member J. Rama Krishna said, “The Board has passed a resolution asking all vendors in Thai Bazaar to register with it. Licenses will be issued to the vendors. The Board will collect a fee from the vendors during registration for doing business in the Cantonment area. Though there is a provision in the Act for this it was not being implemented. This will also act as a revenue source for the Board and every business will be accounted for. Vendors too will not face the risk of the SCB demolishing their establishments.”
The total budget proposed by the Board for this financial year is Rs 266 crore of which around Rs 75 crore will be for development activities.
