Hyderabad: A two-year-old boy fell into an open drain and died near his home at Rein Bazaar on Saturday, drawing sharp criticism over the negligence of GHMC authorities. The victim, Zaki Abbas, went missing in the evening, and his body was found inside the drain by his parents.
The six-foot-deep drain on the roadside has been left open for more than a year. Another drain was dug in the same area, 20 metres away from the first one, a month ago.
The tragedy occurred at Moula Ka Chilla, a thickly populated area, in Rein Bazaar. Locals complained that they are not able to lead a normal life as both the drains are kept open. They had earlier complained to the GHMC but to no avail.
Cops book case, but no one is named
The victim’s parents said the boy was playing inside the house in the evening. His mother was busy doing some chores in the kitchen. Later, when she looked around for him, he was missing. “They started searching the house and the neighbour’s house. An hour later, they found his body in the drain,” said Rein Bazaar inspector G. Ramesh.
“Last year, during the monsoon, the entire area was flooded. We were locked inside our rooms while the dirt entered our homes. We had approached the GHMC, urging it to close the drains, but they just raised the side wall of one drain and left it open. We repeatedly approached them for action as the open drains resulted in mosquito-breeding and was affecting the health of the people,” said Md Mujtaba, a resident.
GHMC officials say they are closing drains in the Old City. “This one has been kept open for a while because it’s a big one. The process of closing it has been ongoing,” claimed GHMC south zonal commissioner Srinivas Reddy. Locals rubbished his claim.
Another GHMC official from engineering department claimed that it was difficult to close the drain because the amount of water and filth it carries. “If we close it down in a conventional way, it might lead to a blockade and flood because it carries waste from several areas. Other small drains join this one,” the officer reasoned.
The police booked a case, but no one has been named as accused. The parents demanded filing a case against GHMC officials. Police officials said they might do so after a preliminary inquiry.
