Lending support and solidarity to fight the unprecedented sewage blockage crisis faced by Hyderabad’s famous 119-year-old Bai Maneckbai Nusserwanji Chenoy Dar-e-Meher, Parsi Times had a fortnight ago, published the news of how the Agiary’s original sewerage line had been unlawfully blocked by a local restaurant (Santosh Dhaba) sharing its compound wall. The construction work began in March last year, on the false pretext claiming the concretising of the kitchen which was illegally built above the sewage line of the Dar-e-Meher’s compound.

Taking up this cause, BPP Trustees have also written to the Telangana CM – K Chandrasekhar Rao and Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, calling for immediate action to protect the heritage complex. As per the letter, the owners of the restaurant have “surreptitiously, unilaterally and without authorisation blocked the century-old sewage pipeline that until then serviced and carried the sewage water from ‘Dar-E-Meher’ and its neighbouring residential colony, which houses 45 Zoroastrian families. As a consequence of this illegal blockage, the dirty sewage water is unable to pass through and therefore back flows into the holy fire temple complex. It has thoroughly contaminated the water of our holy well which is situated in the Fire Temple complex.

This contamination of the holy well-water is considered blasphemous and has deeply religious sentiments as this water is used in numerous religious rituals and ceremonies. Additionally, the lack of hygiene that the residents of the complex have been subject to is equally unacceptable, causing health concerns for all. While a court order has called for the sewage to be cleaned every week, this is not a permanent solution.

Hyderabad-based activist Jehangir Bisney has initiated a signature campaign emphasising the historical, cultural, and architectural significance of the Dar-e-Meher and has far garnered close to 3,000 signatures, highlighting the solid and united call for swift and permanent action to protect the Agiary which houses a consecrated fire that holds immense importance to the community in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The petition will be submitted to GHMC and the Water Board. As per news reports, Jan Shareef, General Manager at Water Board shared that they have been cleaning the sewage at the Agiary four times a week and are awaiting court orders for a permanent solution.

The Bai Maneckbai Nusserwanji Chenoy Dar-E-Meher, located on Tilak Road was built in October 1904 and was awarded the prestigious ‘HUDA Heritage Building Award’, in 2001. Parsi Times will keenly report all progress and updates on this matter.