Kargil war tank amid garbage, place for thieves

SIRCILLA (KARIMNAGAR): The Sircilla municipal corporation’s lofty goal to transform the Kargil lake, on the outskirts of the city, into a tourist spot remains unachieved even after eight years.Earlier called Vardoni kunta, the Kargil lake area has now been turned into a garbage dumping yard by none other than the civic authorities themselves.After the glorious victory of India in Kargil war (1999), in which Pakistani intruders were ousted from the strategic heights of Kargil in a three-month conflict, the Sircilla municipal corporation, in 2004, brought ‘Vijayanta’ war tank used in the war, obtaining permission from the home and defence departments, placed it near the lake with an aim to develop it as a tourist place.But the municipal corporation has done nothing more than celebrating Independence and Republic days at the tank every year.Currently, the place surrounding the dais on which the war tank had been placed has turned into a garbage dumping yard. The municipal staff are dumping the waste collected from the people in the town at the war tank.The foul smell emanating from the place is preventing people from visiting the war tank or the lake.Several people are committing suicides by jumping into the lake. Taking advantage of the situation, thieves are stealing some parts of the war tank while some other parts are getting rusted.Sadly, the lake and its premises have become a hub for anti-social activities. Gambling and boozing had become common at the place. At one time, the Karimnagar municipal authorities had contemplated to shift the Kargil war tank to Telangana Chowk in the town as it would provide patriotic inspiration to youths.But later, the authorities withdrew from the plan as minister for civil supplies D Sridhar Babu did not agree to it on the grounds  that it would create unnecessary conflict. “Negligence by the Sircilla municipal authorities in developing the lake and the disregard for the sacrifices by Kargil martyrs is disheartening,” an ex-military man said and urged the municipal corporation to develop the lake into a tourist spot.