Hyderabad: Wakf Board yet to get cracking on Shab-e-Barat arrangements

Charminar: With just 10 days for Shab-e-Barat, the Telangana Wakf Board is yet to release funds for the cleaning of the graveyards. Shab-e- Barat is the night of worship in the Islamic month of Shaban during which Muslims ask for forgiveness and visit graveyards.

Every year the State Wakf Board releases funds for the cleaning and painting of the graveyards however this year it has not done so.

For most of the graveyards the condition has turned from bad to worst. "Even last year the graveyards were not taken care of with the ongoing pandemic. The grass and shrubs grew on all the graves making it difficult for people to identify the graves of their loved ones.

Each graveyard in the city needs the attention of the authorities, as only 10 days were left for the Shab-e-Barat," said Mohammed Habeebuddin, a social activist.

With no work and help from the authorities from the past two years the locals were seen repainting cleaning the graves of their kin. "I have been cleaning my parent's grave for almost two years now as the authorities remained negligent," said Mohammed Salman, a resident of Moghalpura.

There are several such graveyards including Mir Momin ka Daira in Sultan Shahi, Barhaneshah graveyard in Santoshnagar, Bada and chota Qabrastan in Yakutpura, Bada khabrasthan in Barkas which are spread in acres of land and are the largest graveyards in City.

While several other localities, including Misrigunj, Bahadurpura, Puranapul, Nampally, Tolichowki, Kukatpally and other areas also crave for attention. "Wakf Board should come up with the facilities before the Shab-e-Barat, as it would be difficult for people to even walk in the graveyard and to identify the graves for their relatives," said Abdul Rahman, another Old City activist.

Moreover, Mir Momin ka Daira graveyard, Sultan Shahi which is one of the largest graveyards in the City does not have a managing committee. This graveyard which houses about one lakh of Sunni and Shia graves is visited by lakhs of Muslims on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.

"This graveyard remains neglected for years. There are no proper lights in the graveyard. The graveyard is covered with bushes and shrubs making it difficult for people to even walk," said a Shia Muslim at graveyard.