The Telangana government has conferred new powers on HYDRAA under the GHMC Act on Wednesday, October 16. HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency), constituted by the Congress led Telangana is now empowered to protect all public assets including roads, drains, water bodies, parks etc belonging to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation or the state government. The government action comes even as HYDRAA’s constitution and powers have been challenged in court and Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana High Court had questioned HYDRAA Commissioner Ranganath over arbitrary action.
The government order issued by the Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development ministry noted that HYDRAA has been issued powers under Section 374B of the GHMC Act.
Section 374B read in this context empowers HYDRAA for the purpose of “leveling, metalling, paving, channelling, widening or otherwise to carry out any repair to the public streets.”
HYDRAA was introduced by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on July 12, 2024. The organisation formed under the National Disaster Management Act, was set up to manage natural disasters and to protect government properties, curb encroachment of ponds and lakes and to get rid of illegal constructions and structures.
Since its inception, HYDRAA has demolished several buildings. Under construction projects belonging to the Oro Sports Village and Palamuru Grill were bulldozed in Hyderabad for encroaching on the buffer zone of Osman Sagar lake. Even a building owned by the Greenko Group, a renewable energy company, which donated Rs 13 crore in electoral bonds to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana, was demolished as was the N Convention Center, owned by popular Telugu actor Nagarjuna.
“The inspiration (behind these demolitions) is the Bhagavad Gita. During the battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna advised Arjun to fight against his cousins and not forfeit. For the welfare of the world, you must fulfill your responsibility, Lord Krishna had said. Dharma (duty) should stay alive," Revanth Reddy had said.
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