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Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Secunderabad Cantonment residents await elections as civic issues remain unresolved for years
Hyderabad: As questions continue to be raised by Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) residents over when the next ward member elections — last conducted in 2015 — will be held, the prevailing situation has resulted in the civic issues going unaddressed. The eight wards in the board have been without an elected representative since 2021, when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) extended the tenure of the previous batch of elected members by a year. The elections are usually held once every five years. BT Srinivasan, secretary general of the Confederation of Resident Welfare Associations (CoRWA), said: 'It's really difficult to reach out to officials without elected members. We face so many issues, such as poor water supply, clogged drains, and sub-standard sanitation facilities, but for them to be addressed, we need someone to represent the common people.' You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Srinivasan said, 'Right now, the board is run by Army officials and a nominated member. The population of the cantonment is more than 4 lakhs. How can one nominated member take care of all our issues?' Residents say they have been told elections will take place once the merger between the SCB and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), which has been in the works since early 2023, goes through. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo by Taboola by Taboola 'We've been hearing talks of the merger for some time now, but on the ground, there has been no effort to initiate it. Other state govts and cantonment boards have formed committees to implement the transition, but here, there has been no progress,' said Jakkula Maheshwar Reddy, a resident of Bowenpally and one of the elected representatives in the previous council from Ward-1. Board officials said it is difficult to predict when the elections will be held, as it is solely up to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). 'Lately, we have not had any intimation from the ministry to hold elections, so for now there has been no fixed date. Whether it will happen before or after the merger, we can't really tell,' said Madhukar Naik, chief executive officer (CEO) of SCB.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Hyd's east & northeast pockets join west in groundwater crisis
Hyderabad: What began in the west is now hitting the east and northeast — Hyderabad's groundwater crisis is deepening citywide, driven by unchecked construction and over-extraction. Areas like Malkajgiri, Trimulgherry, Uppal, and Saroornagar are witnessing alarming depletion of water tables, despite receiving excess rainfall between June 2024 and April 2025. According to the groundwater department, Malkajgiri recorded the lowest average depth to water level (DTWL) among all 46 mandals in Greater Hyderabad in April — 25.02 metres — surpassing even severely affected western pockets like Kukatpally and Ramachandrapuram. This sharp decline has triggered a spike in water tanker demand, with nearly 10,000 tankers booked daily in April drop has been steep and sudden. Malkajgiri's groundwater level fell from 18.78 metres in March to 25.02 metres in April — a decline of 6.3 metres in just one month. In Trimulgherry, another densely populated northeastern locality, the depth nearly doubled year-on-year, falling from 7.99 metres in April 2024 to 17.58 metres this year. Similar patterns are seen across eastern Hyderabad. In Ibrahimpatnam, for instance, groundwater levels dropped to 19.26 metres in April, compared to 10.71 metres in March. Other mandals such as Uppal, Medipally, and Saroornagar now report water tables between 15 and 20 metres deep. Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) are raising concerns over the dried-up water bodies. "The Ramakrishnapuram lake, which once spanned 30 acres and recharged our groundwater, has dried up. So has the nearby Kapra lake. Rampant construction and encroachments over the past four years have devastated these natural resources," said BT Srinivasan, general secretary of the United Federation of Residents Welfare Associations. Officials from the groundwater department attribute the crisis to unchecked extraction and rampant urbanisation. In Hayathnagar, for example, 135% of the annual extractable groundwater has already been used — 426 hectare-metres (ha.m) extracted against a sustainable limit of 326 ha.m. Saroornagar has also crossed the red line, with 117% groundwater exploitation. "Lakhs of borewells have sprung up across eastern Hyderabad, drastically reducing groundwater levels. To make matters worse, increasing concrete surfaces are blocking natural percolation," said K Laxma, director of the groundwater department. "The solution lies in promoting rainwater harvesting pits and recharge borewells across new and existing developments." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
