The Hindu 11.06.2013
Student activism: it gets GHMC going
If you are inspired and committed you can do a lot. This
was proved by a group of student activists who made the GHMC set right
the dysfunctional clock atop the Mahbub Chowk. What the students did was
to dash off representations to the civic body which forced it to repair
the clock which had stopped functioning.
Heritage protection
The
GHMC also ordered an enquiry into the excess charges collected at
parking lots and agreed to put up boards displaying the approved parking
fee. The students also convinced a local channel to telecast messages
and run scrolls on water conservation and other social issues.
The
student activists plan to get government support and corporate
sponsorships for restoration and protection of heritage buildings in
Hyderabad and strive for the establishment of Hyderabad Culture Museum
at Khurshid Jah Dewdi.
All this is the result of a
month-long activism programme conducted by COVA and ICAN on various
social issues. A theatre training workshop was also organised by the
Koshish Theatre Group, a COVA affiliate, wherein 50 students
participated.
According to a press release, the
student activists identified water shortage as the main problem in
Hyderabad besides encroachment of water bodies, constructions in
catchments areas of all water bodies (despite GO 111) and industrial
pollution.
Representations made to GHMC force the civic body to repair dysfunctional clock.
