MPs, MLAs Skip Crucial Meet

The meeting to discuss the draft Disaster Management Plan for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation failed to evoke response from the public representatives.

Of 150 corporators, fewer than 10 attended the meeting held at Jubilee Hall, in Hyderabad, on Saturday.

Similarly, of 5 Lok Sabha and 6 Rajya Sabha MPs, not a single Parliamentarian gave the subject any importance. Of nearly 25 MLAs in the GHMC limits, including 2 ministers - D Nagender and M Mukesh Goud - only 5 MLAs, including 3 from the MIM, participated in the meeting.

Of 25 MLCs, only 2 MLCs took part in the crucial meeting. Even GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain skipped the meeting.

Addressing the meeting National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) vice-chairman Marri Sashidhar Reddy said that there was a proposal to link hospital services and other medical services with the NDMA.

He emphasised the need to keep a close watch on old building structures in the city that might collapse due to negligence. He also said that urban field management was an important area.

Sashidhar Reddy said that there were several chemical industries in the city which have been causing pollution, and which must be checked on a regular basis to avoid any mishaps.

He also insisted on taking up sustained public awareness campaigns on disaster management.

GHMC Commissioner MT Krishna Babu stated that steps would be taken to ensure that Hyderabad emerges as a model city in disaster management. He said the GHMC staff would be trained in disaster management on a large scale.

Making a presentation, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) C V Anand said that there are 125 points in Hyderabad where water gets stagnated. Of them, there are 38 points where water remains stagnated for one to one-and-a-half hour.

He also pointed out that there were 460 man-holes on the city's roads, which pose a threat to vehicle users.

MLAs Ahmed Balala and Muqtada Afsar Khan suggested that the GHMC complete the desiltation of nalas before the onset of the monsoon.

MIM MLC Syed Amin-ul-Hasan Jafri pointed out several loopholes in the draft for the disaster management plan. He said that there were several agencies with distinct jurisdictions, that could lead to confusion.

While the GHMC's jurisdiction is of 625 km, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority is spread across 7,288 km. Similarly, the Hyderabad City Police jurisdiction is of 270 km, and the Cyberabad Police limits are of 3,200 km. Further, the APCPDCL enjoys a separate jurisdiction. Therefore, he suggested, there must be some unanimity in the jurisdictions of implementing agencies.

Jafri also said that the city needs to take extra precaution in disaster management in view of the existence of a Nuclear Fuel Complex and other defence research laboratories.

Congress MLC K Janardhan Reddy and nominated MLA Christine Lazarus also spoke. (INN)