Hyderabad: Civilian residents of the Secunderabad Cantonment have started an online campaign demanding the merger of the SCB into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), stating that they are being discriminated against.
Residents have been placing their views across social media platforms with a #mergewithghmc.
Cantonments, by their nature, cater to the needs of the military establishment.
Civilians in the SCB lamented that cantonments were unequipped to serve the needs of large civilian populated areas as that of the Secunderabad Canton-ment.
Mr Srinivas, a software employee and a resident of SCB, mentioned, “Cantonments lag far behind municipalities in terms of both democratic strength and professional versatility. Further, being Central government controlled agencies, they are denied the benefits of state government schemes and grants.”
Mr C.S. Chandra-shekar from the Federation for North Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS) said, “It will be good for everyone if the SCB merges with GHMC. At least then, we will have accessibility to officials and share our problems which is missing right now. There is not even a redressal mechanism here.”
One resident said, “Completely enclosed in the GHMC area, it is unjust and impractical to govern the Secunderabad Cantonment under the outdated Cantonments Act and the ill-equipped Cantonment Board. The non-excision of civilian areas from the Secunderabad Cant-onment Board besides harming the interests of civilians is also likely to strain the relations between the Defence and civilians further. Hence, immediate action may be initiated to excise civilian areas from there SCB and merge the same with the GHMC.”
