Telangana's Industry and Information Technology Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Tuesday, July 6, sought action against protestors who dumped a bike and LPG cylinders into Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar lake as a form of protest. The protests were carried out by groups affiliated to the Congress in Telangana and Communist Party of India (CPI) over the recent hike in petrol and LPG prices.
Taking to Twitter, KTR said, "Protest is an important part of democracy to attract the attention of governments and people but irresponsible behaviour such as these, throwing bikes and cylinders into lakes is reprehensible." KT Rama Rao is also the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) incharge of lakes in Hyderabad. He is also the working president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the ruling party in the state.
KTR requested Telangana Home Minister Mahmood Ali and Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy to issue instructions for stern action against those involved in polluting the Hussain Sagar lake in the protests. Along with his message, the Minister posted two pictures of the respective protests.
On June 11, Youth Congress workers in Hyderabad threw a bike into Hussain Sagar lake to protest against rising petrol prices. The party had called a nation-wide symbolic protest regarding the same. The workers in Hyderabad gathered at Tank Bund and demanded a complete rollback in petrol, diesel and LPG prices before throwing the bike into the lake.
Last week, some women protestors threw a gas cylinder into the same lake. The incident occurred during a rally organised by the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), the women's wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI) protesting against the Rs 25 hike in the cost of cooking gas cylinders.
Protest is an important part of democracy to attract the attention of Govts & people
— KTR (@KTRTRS) July 6, 2021
But irresponsible behaviour such as these, throwing bikes & cylinders into lakes is reprehensible
Request HM @mahmoodalitrs Garu and @TelanganaDGP Garu to issue instructions for stern action pic.twitter.com/TRTSGAWQLr
Their actions came under criticism from some citizens, who said that this only leads to the pollution of the Hussain Sagar lake. However, the lake is frequently used as a dumping ground.
Every year, the MAUD, headed by KT Rama Rao, makes arrangements by the lakeside to immerse Ganesh idols for Ganesh Chaturthi. The Plaster of Paris, with which the idols are made, dissolves in the lake, leaving the iron frames behind. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation undertakes the cleaning of the lake shelf, to clear these frames and other garbage that is brought into the lake by the city drains.
(With IANS inputs)