The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) Commissioner, AV Ranganath, said on Monday, September 30 that the agency was not involved in the recent survey conducted in the Musi River catchment areas. His statement comes after people from several neighbourhoods in Hyderabad, especially those staying near the banks of the Musi protested against plans to evict them.
HYDRAA, an agency constituted in July after the Congress came to power, has been clearing alleged encroachments on lakes and water bodies.
The protests arose after revenue officials, accompanied by tight police security, conducted surveys in various catchment areas of the Musi River, including Chaithanyapuri, Hydrashakote, Sri Venkateswara Colony, Chaderghat, Musanagar, Shankar Nagar, Phanigiri Colony, Indira Nagar, and Ganesh Puri Colony in Ranga Reddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. During the survey, officials collected information about the houses constructed near the river and identified those eligible for rehabilitation. Several homes in the buffer zone of the river were marked for potential action.
The government wants to beautify Musi along the lines of the Thames in London. As part of the project, 10,000-odd dwellings alongside the river would be demolished. But this lead to the worry that thousands of houses would be demolished and people would be rendered homeless. Opposition parties BRS and BJP have held multiple protests and have called Congress ‘bulldozer raj’.
In the midst of criticism from the High Court, media, opposition and a section of the public, Ranganath clarified that HYDRAA has no role in these surveys or in marking houses for demolition. "HYDRAA has nothing to do with surveys on either side of the Musi River. HYDRAA is not evacuating the residents there. HYDRAA is not undertaking any demolitions there. No markings have been made on the houses in the Musi catchment area by HYDRAA authorities. The Musi beautification project is being developed by the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation,” he said.
Ranganath added that HYDRAA's primary focus is protecting water bodies from encroachments, but it is not involved in relocating residents or demolishing homes.
"Demolitions are not the goal—HYDRAA’s objective is the restoration of lakes. HYDRAA does not demolish the homes of the poor or middle-class people. The public should be aware and not believe false propaganda. HYDRAA's jurisdiction extends only up to the Outer Ring Road. Not only in the city but across the state, and even in other states, demolitions are being attributed to HYDRAA on social media, causing unnecessary fear among people. Not all demolitions are conducted by HYDRAA. The public and social media should recognize this. HYDRAA focuses on protecting natural resources, safeguarding lakes, ponds, and drainage channels, and taking measures to prevent roads and residential areas from flooding during rains and floods,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the High Court slammed HYDRAA for demolishing a house on a holiday, which effectively prevented the petitioner from approaching the court. The court observed that HYDRAA was trying to please their “political and executive bosses’.”
A middle-aged woman from Kukatpally in Hyderabad also died by suicide on September 27 fearing demolition of her house by HYDRAA. Her death had led to strong protests against the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government. The Opposition termed the suicide ‘state-sanctioned’ murder.