Clean Musi First, Temples Later: FGG to CM Revanth

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

M. Padmanabha Reddy, president of the Forum for Good Governance (FGG), has urged Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to prioritise cleaning the Musi River before taking up construction of religious structures along its course.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the FGG welcomed the government’s intent to rejuvenate the river but raised concerns over proposals to build temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and churches without first addressing its severe pollution. The appeal comes after the CM recently laid the foundation stone for a temple at Manchirevula on March 29, 2026, alongside plans for a 108-foot Lord Shiva statue in the river and the proposed Omkareshwara temple.

Highlighting past failures, the FGG noted that multiple river-cleaning initiatives have yielded little success despite heavy expenditure. A ₹405 crore pollution abatement project launched in 2001 had limited impact, while a ₹50 crore rubber dam by GHMC was eventually dismantled. Later proposals, including the ₹750 crore Musi Phase II project and a ₹17,130 crore comprehensive plan in 2012, failed to take off or were found inadequate. Even the Musi River Front Development Corporation, set up in 2017, has made minimal progress, the forum said.

The FGG pointed out that rampant encroachments have narrowed the river, with several stretches now resembling a drain. Untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and pharmaceutical waste have rendered the river highly toxic, unfit for agriculture, aquatic life, or human use. The National Green Tribunal has already classified it as a critically polluted stretch.

Given the situation, the forum stressed that constructing religious structures in a polluted river is inappropriate and urged the government to focus on restoring the Musi’s ecological health before proceeding with any development projects.