The BJP has opposed the government’s proposal to have the new GHMC landfill in Sangareddy and vowed to prevent the forest site from becoming “another Jawaharnagar” and prevent environment degradation in the region.
Medak MP M. Raghunandan Rao told a press meet at the State office recently that the landfill, being readied near Patancheru, was on 152 acre of forest site, much against the people’s wishes as it would cause all round pollution, affecting the lives of the people in the region.
Already, hundreds of garbage laden lorries are unloading the city’s waste there, he claimed.
The BJP leader accused the police of illegally detaining party leaders and cadre protesting against the proposed landfill and said the people living in Jinnaram, Gaddipotharam and Patancheru have expressed grave fear about the pollution of air and groundwater akin to what happened at the existing Jawaharnagar landfill.
People of Sangareddy were already facing industrial pollution and waterbodies contaminated by effluent. They were in no mood for further toxicity of natural resources in their area. Mr. Raghunandan Rao demanded that the government hand over the land to the Forest department for afforestation and greenery activities.
He suggested that the GHMC search for advanced technologies to deal with waste disposal instead of allowing the city waste to be dumped in the hinterlands. He threatened to intensify the agitation if the landfill decision is not withdrawn. Those arrested and detained by the police should be immediately released, he added.
Questions on census
In a separate press conferences on Thursday (February 6), party general secretaries, including G. Premender Reddy and K. Venkateshwarlu, questioned the recently released caste census by the Congress government and saw an ulterior motive behind showing reducing numbers of the Backward Classes and higher population of the SC/STs.
The BJP leaders said that as per the census, the population of Telangana got reduced considerably, contrary to the previous surveys, or from 41.0 crore to 3.54 crore. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, after releasing an “unscientific” survey “duping the BCs”, now wanted to scuttle the promise of providing 42% quota in the local body polls.
Published – February 08, 2025 12:30 am IST