Even before the euphoria over Ivanka Trump’s visit to the City of Pearls died down, Hyderabad is getting back to its normal self. That is, beggars are back in streets and all the make-believe works done just before Ivanka’s arrival for the November 28-30 Global Entrepreneurship Summit are left to natural elements.
If reports are to be believed, hundreds of beggars rounded up days before the summit to make the city free from beggars and put up in two local prisons have gone soon after GES is over. Apparently, they have moved out of jails assuring officials they won’t beg again. Though the state government and prison officials had declared their firm commitment to make Hyderabad a beggar-free city with fines and rehabilitation proposals, none is sure how these initiatives will work and be implemented.
Meanwhile, a Telugu TV channel has exposed the shoddy work done by contractors in the name of beautification of the city, particularly in areas where the VVIPs had moved during GES. Inter-locking blocks were ‘arranged’ on sidewalks and some of the pits dug for plants were either empty or the saplings planted were withering as they were not being watered. Stray dogs which were supposed to have been taken out of sight were also back in full strength.
The question being asked is, if crores of public money was spent on uplifting the infra of the city and its beautification, the people expect the works to last for a reasonable period of time. If it doesn’t, for whose benefit they had been done? An issue that is worth pondering.
