The Hindu 17.07.2009
Panchayat’s initiative towards cleaner environment
M. Srinivas
From garbage collection to maintenance of parks, roads, streetlights and religious activities, Pragathinagar gram panchayat is a pleasure to live in
Photo: G. Krishnaswamy 
Perfect setting: A view of Pragathinagar on the outskirts of the city. —
HYDERABAD: It’s picture perfect. Imagine living in a lush green environment away from the hustle-bustle of the city with the sounds of traffic virtually non-existent. You wake up to the chirping of birds and the rising Sun over the lake and go for a walk in a pollution-free environment, all making every moment of life worth living.
A stroll into the lanes and by-lanes of Pragathinagar Colony, beyond Kukatpally and opposite Shamshiguda Lake, there’s greenery all around, well laid roads and streetlights. From garbage collection to maintenance of parks, roads and streetlights and religious activities, this gram panchayat is a model.
No polythene covers
The ban on using polythene covers, sale of ‘gutka’, soft drinks with chemicals and a penalty for felling trees enables Pragathinagar to be environmentally-safe. A series of meetings with shopkeepers urging them not to use plastic carry bags yielded positive results and the gram panchayat also gave cloth bags to the residents to use while shopping. Every household has been given two dustbins for garbage collection, one each for the biodegradable and the non-biodegradable waste. The biodegradable waste is collected in a tractor everyday for vermi-compost. Tea vendors have been asked to use paper glasses and plates for serving tea and snacks.
Planting of two saplings in every house is mandatory. “The penalty for chopping trees is Rs.10,000 and it is refunded if the owner plants a sapling. Special teams supervise works all the time,” explains Deputy Sarpanch Ch. Sudheer Reddy. Collection of taxes was also computerised to ensure transparency.
Security
Apart from two beat constables from Dundigal police station, a dozen lathi-wielding private security personnel are on night duty and two during the day. Mr. Reddy says the ISO-certified colony was formed in 1992, across 850 acres by Allywn employees after bifurcating from Bachupally in Dundigal. Most of the employees purchased a 250-square yard plot for Rs. 80,000, that now cost Rs.70 lakh. The colony boasts of a swank community hall, swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis court, cricket ground, a park and an auditorium.