Demanding that the State government protect the playgrounds in Greater Hyderabad and clear the lands of encroachers, Loksatta staged a novel protest by playing Kabaddi at GHMC office.
The Loksatta GHMC Committee has demanded that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announce that Kalabharathi will be constructed at another place instead of constructing it at NTR Stadium on August 15 as a gift of Independence Day.
Speaking on the occasion, Loksatta Greater Hyderabad president Dosapati Ramu and general secretary Bonthu Sambi Reddy said there are no playgrounds in Hyderabad though the population touched one crore mark in Hyderabad. While there was a need of 5,000 play rounds, there were only 660 playgrounds in Hyderabad and the same were uploaded in GHMC website.
They alleged that at several places, the vacant lands meant for parks, playgrounds and community halls were being encroached upon by private persons. They demanded that the Chief Minister provide play grounds, which were similar to lungs, to make Hyderabad as Singapore. “But the Chief Minister is encouraging encroachments to see that there won’t be playgrounds in Hyderabad”, they alleged. The Chief Minister was preparing the unhealthy Hyderabad on one side and giving crores of rupees to players, who won medals, they said and alleged that the Chief Minister was adopting an indifferent stand on play grounds issue. (NSS)