Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday announced that the Congress govt will soon distribute electric scooters to college-going girl students in the Core Urban Region Economy (CURE) area as part of measures to tackle pollution in the city. Providing EV scooters to girl students was one of the Congress party’s poll promises.Addressing a Women’s Day programme at Praja Bhavan, the chief minister listed several initiatives being considered to make the CURE area pollution-free. These include a possible ban on single-use plastic, replacing autos and RTC buses running on petrol and diesel with electric vehicles, and shifting red and orange category industries outside the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The govt is also not imposing taxes on the purchase of EVs, Revanth said.The chief minister warned that Hyderabad could move into the “red zone” like Delhi and other metros if urgent steps are not taken to curb pollution. He accused the opposition of trying to derive political mileage from the concerns of people affected by the Musi river project, and sought cooperation from all political parties and sections of society, particularly women, to transform Hyderabad into a $3-trillion economy.He assured that the state govt would ensure safety and greater opportunities for women, adding that no state or country can develop unless women become financially independent.Highlighting the govt’s plans to rejuvenate the highly polluted Musi river and install a giant statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the CM said he would make a presentation on the Musi Rejuvenation Project on March 13 to address concerns over displacement and rehabilitation. The presentation will also outline the govt’s vision to develop the Musi riverfront as a major economic hub.“When riverfronts like Sabarmati, Ganga and Yamuna can be developed, why should the Musi riverfront project be opposed?” he asked.“What is wrong with constructing the Gandhi Knowledge Centre at a cost of Rs 200 crore? The Gandhi statue will cost about Rs 70 crore, but the opposition is spreading false claims that it would cost Rs 5,000 crore,” Reddy said.He also criticised the BRS and BJP for politicising notices issued to an apartment complex located partly within the 50-metre buffer zone of the Musi river.“As per rules, constructions within the 50-metre buffer zone should be demolished. However, we offered seven acres of land and financial assistance to build an apartment complex with flats of equal size for the affected families. We also said the money would be deposited in advance in a bank account for construction at an alternative location,” he said.The CM appealed for public cooperation to prevent encroachments and develop the city to international standards.“We want Hyderabad to compete with cities such as New York, Tokyo and those in South Korea. The CURE area, with a population of 1.3 crore, will be developed into a pollution-free city and a hub for the service sector. The govt is ready to provide fair compensation to those displaced by the Musi project,” he said.Stating that gender discrimination still exists in society, including in developed countries such as the United States, Reddy said the Telangana govt is giving top priority to women officers in IAS, IPS and other key positions. He noted that a woman officer in the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) played a crucial role in the surrender of 700 Maoists.The govt will also establish a platform for lodging complaints against false propaganda on social media, and set up committees to examine complaints of harassment against women in workplaces, he added.During the programme, several women journalists were felicitated for their outstanding contribution to journalism.
