Hyderabad: Anguish experienced by city brought out in song

Afzalgunj: The Forum for a Better Hyderabad, in association with the Centre for Deccan Studies, Deccan Heritage Trust and Deccan Academy, organised a 'memorial and solidarity' meet on Tuesday at the Osmania General Hospital under the historic Tamarind Tree to commemorate the 113th year of the Musi River floods that took place on September 28 in 1908. The Tamarind Tree on the premises of Afzal Park in Osmania General Hospital, had housed 150 people during the floods and saved their lives. It is this tree which has a rich history of witnessing the devastating flood which took the lives of nearly 15,000 people. The Forum for a Better Hyderabad(FBH) initiated the solidarity meet since 2008 under the Tamarind Tree at the hospital to commemorate memory of people washed away during the floods and to bring forth the significance of conservation and protection of natural resources, preventing urban flooding and sustainable development of the city.

Architects, educators, environmentalists and many eminent persons from a cross section of society participated. According to general secretary FBH Shobha Singh, a sonata sung by Prasar Tyagi highlighted the anguish experienced by the city and its population during the three wrathful days of the flood on September 26-28.

M Veda Kumar, FBH chairman, emphasised that the solidarity meet was not only in the memory of victims of the Musi floods, but also to restore and protect the natural resources of the city, such as water bodies and air. The contribution made by like-minded persons from different sections of society who are playing a pivotal role equally.

He recalled the efforts of the VII Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan who established the City Improvement Development Board (CIB) in 1914 post the Musi River floods. He said the then famous architect Sir M Vishweshwariah got the two reservoirs constructed, Osmansagar in 1920 and Himayatsagar in 1927. The project also provided drinking water to the entire population of Hyderabad. Sir Vishweshwariah also developed the first of its kind underground drainage systems in Hyderabad which was a marked improvement in the city planning. A drawing by Yadav of Asal Hyderabad, with its original 16 darwaza and 18 khidki, was inaugurated by Veda Kumar along with dignitaries. Students and professors from JBR Architecture College, Pharmacy & Engineering and girls from an orphanage. Sajjan Singh, president, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Amritsar, Prof Anwar Khan, Nawab Shahid Farheed from the renowned Paigah Family were present.