Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Saturday, October 5 approved an ordinance, empowering the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA). This enables Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to exercise its powers to protect the assets of the civic body and the government.
Governor Varma has issued the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024. The ordinance inserted new section (374-B) in GHMC Act, 1955, to empower any officer or agency of authority to exercise any of the powers of the civic body and the Commissioner vested in them to protect public assets like roads, drains, public streets, water bodies, open spaces, public parks, etc. HYDRAA, created recently by the state government, has been carrying out demolitions to reclaim the alleged encroached land of lakes, parks, and roads. However, HYDRAA's actions had come under criticism from various quarters, including opposition parties, which questioned its legal status.
The agency had carried out demolitions without issuing notices as it lacked the power to issue them. HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath had said last month that the agency does not issue notices to the violators but will function through notices served by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to associated departments such as Irrigation, Revenue, and urban local bodies. Ranganath, an Indian Police Service officer, compared the agency to task force, Greyhounds, and such groups, that support the police. HYDRAA undertook 27 demolition drives from June 27 to September 8, removing 262 alleged encroachments to recover 111.72 acres of lakes and other water bodies in and around the city. Properties reportedly connected to prominent politicians, and businessmen, as well as film stars were demolished by the agency.
Tollywood actor Nagarjuna's N-Convention and structures reportedly connected to former Union Minister MM Pallam Raju's brother Pallam Anand, BJP leader Sunil Reddy, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen legislators -- Mohammed Mubeen and Mirza Rahmat Baig -- were among the properties razed. The state government established HYDRAA for the Telangana Core Urban Region comprising the entire GHMC and areas of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal Malkajgiri, and Sangareddy districts up to Outer Ring Road.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is the chairman of the governing body of HYDRAA. HYDRAA comprises ministers for municipal administration and urban development, revenue, and disaster management, in-charge ministers of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Sangareddy, and Medchal Malkajgiri districts, Greater Hyderabad Mayor, Director General of Police and other higher officials as members.