The Jawahar Nagar dump yard in the Medchal constituency has become a major focus in the election campaign. Voters are asking the candidates to address the issue by moving the dump yard to a different location.
All political parties are actively campaigning, with a tough competition between the Congress and the BRS. Labour minister Ch Malla Reddy has a strong base of supporters, while Congress candidate Thotakura Vajresh Yadav and BJP candidate Enugu Sudarshan Reddy have their own loyal voter base.
Malla Reddy has started a padayatra (foot march) to develop Medchal as a model constituency in Telangana. Yadav, on the other hand, is campaigning extensively and promoting his six guarantees.
During the campaign, voters have asked the candidates to sign bond papers promising a permanent solution to the dump yard issue once they are in power.
Residents have raised various concerns, including the need for hospitals, educational institutions, and ration cards.
The dump yard in Jawahar Nagar covers an area of 350 acres and is the cause of several problems in the constituency. Around 3,500 metric tonnes of waste from Hyderabad is dumped there every day. This has led to pollution of groundwater as the liquid from the dump yard mixes with the water supply. Shifting the dump yard is the only solution to provide relief to the residents.
Local resident K Ramana Chary, president of the Forum for Medchal and Malkajgiri District Development, stated that this election is different and they will vote for the party that promises to address their long-pending demands. The main issue is the dump yard, and they are taking bond paper signatures from candidates to ensure they solve the issue within two years if elected.
Suresh, another resident, emphasized the need for overall infrastructure development in the constituency, including schools, colleges, and better road and rail connectivity. They have been urging political parties to prioritize these issues and will hold them accountable once they are in power.
