URBAN PLANNING – GHMC Area The FORUM in its letter dt. 3.9.2013 addressed to Shri

N.Kiran Kumar Reddy, Chief Minister, has submitteddetailed reasons against proposal to merge 15 GramPanchayats with the current GHMC area. An extract fromthe letter is reproduced.

“We (i.e The Forum) hope that the government willreconsider the decision in light of the above argumentsand pursue a policymaking path that will truly aim atcreating a livable city and region for all economic and socialgroups. In this connection, we cannot help pointing outthat the government has taken the decision to merge 15GRAM PANCHAYATS without prior consultation with theGram Panchayats, the political parties, not to speak of theNGOs concerned with urban planning. This is very arbitraryand undemocratic.”

The Forum’s views were widely published in the newspapers of 4th/5th Sept, 2013.

Thirteen years of Activism & Service

NEWS LETTER : 30 SEPT.-DEC. - 2013

(Private Circulation only)

Compiled by : R.K. Sinha

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FORUMFOR A BETTERHYDERABAD

ENVIRONMENT : FORESTS : Eco Tourism ProjectThe FORUM on 18.10.2013 has submitted a 20 point

representation to the Chairman, State Level EnvironmentImpact Assessment Authority, Hyderabad against theproposed eco-tourism project in Kothaguda Reserve Forest(Serilingampally Mandal). Two extracts from the letterare given below:

“Finally, we may state that the Hon’ble Supreme Courtof India had clearly laid down the law on environmentalmatters and made it abundantly clear that naturalresources are the public trust and they are meant for publicuse and enjoyment and the State is the trustee under legalduty to protect these natural resources. They also made itclear that Public Trust Doctrine is applicable to forestsand the Government is obliged to protect them than to

ENVIRONMENT- Musi RiverOn 27th September, 2013 at 11.30a.m. Centre for

Deccan Studies, Telengana Resource Centre, and ForumFor A Better Hyderabad had organized a Memorial &Solidarity Meet under the great Tamarind Tree that hadsaved 150 lives during Musi Floods of 1908. The purposewas to pay homage to the victims of the Musi Floods andto ensure protection of our city, Hyderabad and heritagefor future generations.

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FBH News Letter 30

permit their use for private ownership or commercialpurposes. We particularly invite attention to the Apex CourtJudgment dated 26th September 2005 in T. N. GodavarmanThirumalpad V. Union of India in WP (C) No. 202/95 with IANo. 826 in IA No. 566.”

“It is therefore requested to consider the above positionof facts & law and reject the request of the developers forgrant of Environmental Clearance, treating the Eco-Tourismproject as prejudicial to the basic principles of environment& ecology and public interest.”

Copies of the letter were endorsed to the Member Secy.-SLEIAA and Shri L.K.Bhoopal Rao, Member SLEIAA.

HERITAGE - Naya Quila Fort & Talab

Copy of Forum’s letter dt. 30.10.2013 to theSuperintending Archaeologist, ASI, Sultan Bazar,Hyderabad is reproduced.

“Fencing around Naya qila talab, and the farmers’ landin Naya Qila Fort.

We refer to our fax message of yesterday, exhortingyou to stop the work of fencing around Naya Qila talab, asits FTL area is now sub judice before the honorable A.P.High Court. Secondly, there is an unequivocal orderdt 17.3.09 by the AP High Court viz., “not to take up‘construction‘ “, and the subsequent court order dt8.6.2010 permitted relaxation from their order dt only allowing ‘“the grassing of the area of course under thesupervision of the authorities to ensure that the contoursare not changed”. Definitely, fencing is not permissibleunder this order as it is not grassing by any stretch ofimagination. Secondly, fencing is horizontal construction,and thirdly, digging beyond one foot for non- cultivationpurposes, is expressly prohibited under AM & ASR(Amendment and validation ) Act 2010, and fencing wouldinvolve digging for non-cultivation purposes. The ban on

NGOs…Prof.G.Haragopal, Sri.M.Vedakumar, Sri.Chukka Ramaiah,Sri.O.M.Debara and others are speaking to the press people

after meeting the Chairman, SLEIAA,Hyderabad at APPCB,at Sanathnagar, Hyderabad

construction in HC order dt 17.3.09 also was not lifted byAP High Court in their subsequent order. The action is,therefore, clearly violative of the above two Court ordersand the ASI Act.

Please stop the work and restore the earlier status.”

ENVIRONMENT- Lakes & Water Bodies

Copy of FORUM’s letter dt. 30.10.2013 to the ChiefSecretary Govt. of A.P., is reproduced. Copies wereendorsed to the Spl.Chief Secy.- YAT&C- GoAP, MD-APTDCL,Commissioner- HMDA, Commissioner-GHMC, Secretary-APPCB, Police Commissioner- Hyderabad, PoliceCommissioner- Cyberabad, DGP- A.P..

“Need for regulation of commercial, entertainmentactivities on the shores of lakes and water bodies.

As of now, tourism projects near the shores of lakes /water bodies are planned and executed unilaterally bythe Tourism department under the guise of promotingtourism. Projects are also sometimes promoted by some

When HGA fenced access to private land inside Nayaqila,owners of the land protested and some of them collapsed for

hot sun. Police & Forum people reached the spot and discussedwith the police to give access to the land owners and not to

obstruct the passage to cultivate their land.

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other departments unilaterally. Such projects are oftenconceived from the single view point of a department andfails to take a holistic view of the promotion of a lake /water body.

In view of the very welcome emphasis on protection oflakes by the government and even by the Courts, we needto change the system of promotion of a project by anysingle department and there is ned for creating a machineryof all interested departments, even other stakeholders inconceiving and promotion of any project near a foreshoreof a lake/water body.

In this context, it is pertinent to mention the recentattempt by some authority, most probably the tourismdepartment, to post a Ganesh idol on the shores and eveninto , of Durgam Cheruvu lake, without approval of HMDA,Lake Authority, Police, etc. Even a structure was beingcreated for housing the idol. The concerned authority didnot realize the consequences, such as soon, the pujamaterials for the idol will pollute the lake, images will bedumped into the lake, and so and so forth. With great effort,this project was stopped. Recently, we came across a reportin the Hindu of a plan by Tourism Department of creatingtourism facilities at Shamirpet lake, by creating resorts,restaurants, etc., etc. We are afraid such plan will makeShamirpet lake shore like another polluted Hussainsagarlake area, infested with traffic pollution, eateries, melas,structures in the foreshore and even in the water bodyitself, destruction of natural abode of birds, etc., etc. Weare afraid the model followed by tourism department isnot of sustainable tourism, but tourism that kills the corequality of a lake / a site , thus kills the goose that laysgolden eggs. In fact, there is an advisory against one’sbreathing the air on the shores of Hussainsagar lake forlong as it is harmful – such is the effect of tourism projectsaround Hussainsagar.

We suggest :1. A body consisting of all stakeholder government

departments be formed to approve any projects on / nearthe foreshores of a lake / water body, consisting of : HMDA,Lake Protection Authority, AP Pollution Control Board,GHMC, Police ( for traffic planning and assessing its effecton pollution), and any other department that may beaffected by a project, such as water works, forest, etc.,etc. The convener will be the concerned department whichmoots the project, and will be presided over by HMDA.The superseding consideration will be conservation of thelake / water body and its core quality. Some conservationgroups may also be associated in the process of a decision-making.

2. There must be environmental clearance for everyproject before it is allowed to take off.

3. As of now, we are insisting on maintaining FTL andbuffer zone for a lake/water body. We may also have a“protected area” concept in addition to, or as part of abuffer zone which should then be extended, as in the caseof a protected monument.

We request you to examine the matter, and meanwhilestop all projects which are not approved in the abovemanner”

HERITAGE: Golconda Fort – Naya Quila

Text of Forum’s representation dt. 14.11.2013 to theChief Minister, Govt of A.P., is given below. Same letterwas also addressed to the Chief Secretary, Collector,Spl.Chief Secretary-YAT & C, SA-ASI.

“Denial of entry into Naya Qila through the mainentrance – a violation of law.

It has come to our notice that the main entrance intothe Naya Qila Fort has been closed for the public. Thereby,the public, visitors to the fort and tourists are debarredfrom entry into the NQ Fort , preventing them from visitingthe various sites of interest, including the two mosques,Hathian ki jhar, the burges, the topes, the terrain of thearea, the rock formations, the Naya Qila talab, and manyother places of interest. This violates clause 2 of the MOUdated September 2009, which is appended. This furtherdenies access to a public road, public spaces outside theASI-approved lay out of the Hyderabad golf course. Theaction in closing the entrance is clearly illegal, unilateral;smacks of extreme arbitrariness and abuse of authority.The action displays arrogant arbitrariness, violating normsfor a democratic system of governance and the rule of law.

We request you to immediately order the lifting of theembargo on entry through the main entrance, and takestrong action against the officials and the police who havearranged this illegal closure of gate. Your immediateintervention is solicited.”

[MOU dated 23.9.2009 provides in Art 2 : “The GOAPshall ensure that public access to the monuments withinNayaQila including the mosque viz., Mullah Khayali andMustafa Khan Mosques will continue through all passagesincluding the main entrance. While general public accessto the Golf Course area is not permitted, ………….. shall beensured by the HGA that none of the members of public isprohibited from entering the NayaQila and its monuments.The security at the main entry point of the Naya Qila areawould be provided by the ASI.]

HERITAGE: Golconda Fort – Naya Quila

Copy of letter dt. 16.11.2013 written by the Forum,under RTI Act, to the Public Information Officers in theoffices of Spl.Chief Secretary- YAT&C, M.D- APTDC, DCP-Hyderabad, City Police, Collector & Dist. Magistrate-Hyderabad, SA- ASI Hyderabad Circle.

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Printed and Published by K. Prabhakar, Co-ordinator, Forum For A Better Hyderabad,Assistance in complilation : Ms. K. Shyamala

CHANDRAM, 3-6-712/2, Street No. 11, Himayathnagar, Hyderabad-500 029.Tel.No. 9030626288 ; Fax: 0-40-27635644, E-mail: betterhyd@yahoo.co.in Website: www.hyderabadgreens.org

“Please furnish me with the following information underthe Right to Information Act 2005:-1. Whether the main public entrance to the Naya Qila

Fort has been closed for entry. If so, since when ?2. Whether the police has been provided to prevent entry

through the main entrance gate ?3. Whether only the members of the Hyderabad golf club,

and those others connected with the club, are beingallowed entry through the main entrance.

4. If yes to Question no 2, under which order has suchaction been taken. If yes to Question no 3, under whichorder has such action been taken. Please enclose a copyof the order(s) / a statement of the instructions ifreceived verbally.

5. Whether you are aware that this closure of entry tothe Naya Qila Fort violates article 2 of the MOU dt23.9.2009 & certain provisions of the AM & ASR(Amendment & Revalidation) Act 2010, therebyrendering the action illegal, and the policeindependently liable for providing support to an illegalorder. These provisions are appended.

6. Whether you will now lift immediately the policeprotection to the closure of public entrance, and instead,prevent any one from preventing the entry of the publicthrough the public entrance.A pay order for Rs 10/- is enclosed.”The Collector & Dist. Magistrate Hyderabad was

reminded on 27.11.2013 that illegal closure of publicentrance continues and was requested to lift the closure.

Extracts from the reply dt. 30.11.2013 received fromthe PIO, APTDC on the subject are given below:

Entry has never denied to every visitor and there is no exclusivepreference to either Golf Club Members or to the workers workingGolf Club arrangements, through main gate of Naya Quilla Fortentrance.On convening the Three Officers Committee meeting onHyderabad Golf Association held on 17.10.2013 it was decidedto fence, the APTDC land at (11) points with the help of RevenueOfficials and Police personnel to prevent grass cutters into theAPTDC land near the Naya Quila for grass cutting.Accordingly all the above (11) points are fenced by the APTDCand issued instructions to the Police authorities/security guardswho are on duty not to allow grass cutters in APTDC Land atNaya Quila.The SA-ASI authorities have informed that they have also giveninstructions to the ASI Security guards to allow the tourists tothe Naya Quila only between 8 a.m to 5 p.m.

HERITAGE: Golconda Fort – Naya Quila Copy of FORUM’s dt. 19.12.2013 to the SA,

Archeological Survey of India, Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad isgiven below. Copies were endorsed to the District Collector& Magistrate, Spl.CS-YAT&C, MD-APTDC.

Sub: Violations in NQ Fort, Nov-Dec, 2013.

Further to our correspondence, we observe, supportedby photos, that following violations of MOU of Sept, 2009and AM & ASR 1958 & 2010 have taken place.1. Truck loads of mud being carried through the NQ public

entrance (which was and has been closed to the public)for dumping inside NQ Fort, threatening change ofcontour. – Photo 1

2. Stones and boulders being carried near Hathian-ki-Jharin farmers’ land-possible change of contour.-Photo 2

3. Sand dumped near Hathian-ki-Jhar-Change of contour-Photos – 3 & 4

4. Dumping near Tad Burj – Change of contour – photo 55. Dumping near Tad Burj – Change of contour – photo 6

Please rectify and take suitable other preventive andpunitive actions against delinquents.

Naya Quila- Golf Course: Massive felling of trees

Details about illegal felling of 82 trees were providedin Forum’s News Letter 28 of May-June’ 13. ForestDepartment, GoAP, have imposed a penalty of Rs. 2.46lacs on SA, ASI, which is yet to the realized. Spl. ChiefSecretary & CMD-APTDC in letter dt. 13.09.2013 to theDivisional Forest Officer has stated inter-alia that SA-ASIhad given permission to Hyd.Golf Association “to removebushes and shrubs ………without causing any damages tothe fort wall or any part of the monument ……… SA-ASI isneither responsible nor involved in any illegal felling of treesand requested to withdraw the notice (of penalty)…….inthe interest of Govt. work…….”

In a detailed reply dt. 26.10.2013, Divl.Forest Officer,Hyderabad has informed the Spl.CS & CMD-APTDC thatkeeping in view the rules and regulations and the pastincidents of tree felling, it is not possible to withdraw noticeissued by the Forest Range Officer.

DFO in his letter dt. 29.10.2013 (under RTI Act) hasinformed the Forum that on realization of the penaltyamount, the ASI will be insisted to take up planting of 2plants for 1 tree felled in the same area.

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