Hyderabad: The ex-servicemen engaged by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on an outsourcing basis protested against the reduction of their salaries by Rs 7,000, after joining the Hyderabad Disaster Response Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) as ‘Marshalls.’
Scores of these ex-servicemen, who trained the newly-inducted HYDRAA disaster response teams, threatened to boycott their duties on Monday, August 11.
These marshals also handle HYDRAA’s disaster control room, and Prajavani operations. As a result, even HYDRAA’s vehicles engaged in rescue operations were put on hold in the morning.
Confirming the reports of the salaries of the marshals cut-short by Rs 7,000, HYDRAA informed the media that though it is true that as per the pay-scales of HYDRAA their salaries were cut short, HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath spoke with the marshalls and informed them that they will get the balance not paid to them last month, in their next month’s pay-check.
Ranganath clarified that the discrepancy took place because of the established pay-scale in GHMC for those marshals who were recruited before HYDRAA was formed, and the pay-scale for HYDRAA workers which doesn’t conform to the finance department’s requirements for the outsourced staff.
The outsourced marshals resumed their duties before noon, after being convinced by Ranganath.
Encroachment of nalas causing flooding
Meanwhile, HYDRAA received 51 petitions from the people during the Prajavani, 70 percent of which were concerning the encroachment of nalas, in some cases- 3/4th nala area encroached by building structures.
The basthi people living around Salala in Barkas of Chandrayangutta constituency complained to HYDRAA that people have built houses on the nala, which has been causing flooding in three basthis.
The residents of HMT Bearings Nagar at Nagaram village of Keesara mandal in Medchal-Malkajgiri district complained to HYDRAA that 12,000 sq yd land meant for common areas like parks and roads were being encroached. The residents urged HYDRAA to lay a fence around the government land.
Orchid Residential Welfare Association of Orchid Residency in Balapur complained that due to encroachment of Pedda Cheruvu near ARCI Road, flood waters were entering their area during the monsoons.
Residents of Beerumguda of Ameenpur mandal of Sangareddy district complained that 10 ft of the 20 ft road was encroached by a plot owner there.
The residents of Upparpally of Rajendranagar mandal complaied that sewage water has been entering their colony park, causing inconvenience.
HYDRAA also received complaint from the residents of Ambedkar Nagar locality in Yellareddiguda of Ameerpet, that due to encroachment of a nala, their houses were getting flooded.
As AV Ranganath was not available, HYDRAA addititional commissioner N Ashok Kumar received the complaints from the petitioners during Prajavani on Monday.
GHMC receives 150 petitions during Prajavani
GHMC received 150 complaints from the people on Monday out of which 60 were received during the Prajavani at GHMC headquarters, and the rest were lodged at GHMC’s zonal offices.
Of these, 39 complaints were received in Kukatpally zone, 13 in Secunderabad zone, 10 in Serilingampally zone, 11 in LB Nagar zone, and 9 in Khairatabad zone.
