At last, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) constituted by the Revanth Reddy government in Telangana to take up demolition of illegal structures and houses that came up on water bodies, has been given more teeth and legal powers.
An ordinance to this effect was approved by state governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Tuesday night, after getting clarifications from state municipal administration and urban development principal secretary Dana Kishore. The ordinance is expected to be promulgated in a day or two.
The development comes in the wake of serious questioning by the Telangana high court, which has admitted a batch of petitions against HYDRAA, questioning its statutory powers to take up demolitions arbitrarily.
According to sources, the ordinance seeks to add clause 384-B to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act, which granted HYDRAA greater powers to carry out its mandate.
The ordinance is seen as a crucial step in addressing ongoing controversies surrounding HYDRAA, particularly with Opposition parties and civil society groups that have raised questions and concerns about its legal standing and ability to issue notices or demolish structures in Full Tank Levels (FTL) and buffer zones around lakes and nalas.
The draft ordinance was approved by state cabinet, led by chief minister A Revanth Reddy, during a meeting on September 20. This ordinance aims to strengthen HYDRAA’s authority in protecting lakes, nalas, and government properties, as well as enabling the clearance of encroachments on them.
The draft ordinance was sent to the Governor for approval. After a 10-day review, the Governor granted his approval, official sources said.
The state government has amended several key acts, including the Telangana Municipal Act, 2019, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) Act, 1989, and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Act, 2008.
These amendments will transfer certain powers previously held by these entities to HYDRAA, reports said.
