Musi Project-hit Residents Demand Re-evaluation
Residents from Bapughat, Haidershakote, Budvel, Haiderguda, Chaderghat and downstream villages said they would not give up their homes and fields.
Hyderabad: Musi Jan Andolan on Thursday demanded a re-evaluation of the Rs.7,345-crore Musi Riverfront Project, saying river-cleaning should not come at the cost of homes, livelihoods and the natural river system.
Affected residents and civil society groups gathered at Dharna Chowk, where the andolan said around 2,000 families could face displacement and nearly 1,200 risked losing their homes. Residents from Bapughat, Haidershakote, Budvel, Haiderguda, Chaderghat and downstream villages said they would not give up their homes and fields.
HRF leader Jeevan Kumar said the project “does not serve the best interests of either the people or the river”. Also present was environmentalist Donthi Narasimha Reddy who said the Musi must be viewed as an entire river basin rather than an urban development project. The andolan sought pollution control at source, river restoration and protection of affected families.
