Telangana govt sanctions 169 posts for HYDRAA to intensify anti-encroachment drive

Hyderabad: Telangana government has sanctioned 169 posts of various categories for the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Authority (HYDRAA).

The posts will be filled on a deputation basis in the office of the Commissioner, HYDRAA.

This follows the Telangana government's decision to give legal cover to the recently-formed HYDRAA and strengthen the agency with more manpower to safeguard lakes, reservoirs, and nalas inside the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

As per the order, the 169 employees to be posted in HYDRAA include four commissioners, five DSPs, 16 CIs, 16 SIs, 60 police constables, 12 station fire officers, and 10 assistant engineers.

With additional staff, the HYDRAA is likely to intensify its demolition exercise on the unauthorized structures near the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zones of the water bodies in the ORR limits.

According to reports, the government has started the process of amending various laws to make it possible for the HYDRAA to operate as intended. The government is also gearing up to introduce a law that would give HYDRAA specific enforcement authority under different Acts including the WALTA Act, the Telangana Municipal Act, the GHMC Act, and the Irrigation Act.

Despite widespread indignation regarding the demolition of homes and apartments in Hyderabad under the pretext of illegal construction on FTL and buffer zones around multiple water bodies, Revanth Reddy’s government has chosen to proceed with the project by granting additional authority to HYDRAA.

HYDRAA chief meets victims, realtors

HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath met a few sections of people who were alleged to have intruded on government land in Ameenpur. The meeting included real estate investors, those who had lost money as a result of demolitions, and colony members who had voiced concerns about the encroachment.

For the first time, the HYDRAA commissioner met the victims and realtors after exercising the demolition drive in the ORR limits

Ranganath said that revenue officials and HYDRAA conducted an initial survey in Ameenpur after receiving several complaints on the encroachment of parks in the layouts approved by Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).

He informed the victims and realtors that a thorough survey would be completed in the fortnight. The survey will be conducted with representatives from the revenue department, HYDRAA, Ameenpur municipality, and HMDA. "The HYDRAA's policy is not to trouble the poor. It takes the responsibility to protect government lands as per the government’s orders," Ranganath said.

The thorough survey will assist the HYDRAA in determining the amount of government land that has been invaded, the locations of parks and open spaces indicated in the plan, the specifics of the encroachers, the victims of encroachments, and the colonies that have suffered the most as a result of the occupation of lung spaces, the HYDRAA commissioner said.

On Wednesday, the HYDRAA officials, along with Revenue, HMDA and municipal officials conducted a survey in Survey No. 152 and 153 of Venkataramana Colony.

HYDRAA chief to meet bankers

Meanwhile, the HYDRAA has reportedly decided to prevent banks from giving loans to illegal constructions. Ranganath is likely to meet the bankers soon and the HYDRAA has written to public sector and private banks in this regard.

During the meeting, the HYDRAA commissioner would give clear instructions to banks to prevent illegal structures in the buffer zone and FTL zones of water bodies. He also constituted a special legal team for this.

Apart from that, the HYDRAA has prepared a list of banks that have given loans to recently demolished buildings and villas. Ranganath also expressed his anguish at the banks for sanctioning loans for the constructions near the water bodies.