Famed Khajaguda rocks saved from brink, earth movers halted

Hyderabad: Heritage activists of Society to Save Rocks along with rock climbers and locals took the lead on Saturday morning by stopping an alleged attempt to destroy the famed Khajaguda rocks atop the southwestern face of hill. According to the activists, the issue of destroying the rocks resurfaced a year after the state government promised to protect the space after a person, claiming himself to be the landowner, began dumping mud on the Khajaguda hill and moving the natural rock formations. The activists along with rock climbers, villagers and local temple association members obstructed the works at 9 am and blocked the earthmovers from moving ahead. SV Raghava Reddy, who claimed himself to be the property owner, contacted Narsingi police who reached the spot. Police said Reddy showed some documents claiming that the property belonged to him. “The land does belong to Reddy. However, we stopped the works. We will get a fresh survey done,” said J Krishnaiah, Narsingi sub-inspector,. The officials have decided to conduct a re-survey of the private property to check if it falls under the protected survey numbers by August 1. Till then, status quo would be maintained as the site owner was instructed not to take up any construction works. Regardless of the ownership of the property, activists, however, cited the 2019 high court order which made it clear that the existing rocks should not be ‘disturbed, damaged or destroyed’. “This land too falls under the protected survey numbers and there is no question of taking up construction works at the site. While the owner filed a complaint with police, we have also lodged a complaint against the illegal construction activity,” vice-president of Society to Save Rocks Sangeetha Verma told STOI. The complaint was filed by rock climber Sphoorthy along with members of Hyderabad Climbers’ group. “The owner claimed that he did not disturb any rocks and that he was building a fence around his land. However, clearly, the rocks have been shifted and the ground was levelled at the site,” Sphoorthy told STOI. Manikonda municipal commissioner K Phalgun Kumar visited the spot.