More powers, more staff for HYDRAA, says Chief Secretary

Already, 72 teams have been formed under HYDRAA. To strengthen these teams with required powers and staff would be allocated from police, survey and irrigation departments.

Hyderabad: The State government is now working onto entrust the responsibilities of protecting lakes, parks, nalas and government lands within Outer Ring Road (ORR) to Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), according to Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari.

“HYDRAA will be given more powers and required staff strength. This apart, HYDRAA will be entrusted with clearing encroachments under FTL, nalas, government open lands and parks,” she said during a meeting with MAUD, HYDRAA and other wings to discuss measures for entrusting more responsibilities, besides allocating more powers and staff to HYDRAA.

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Already, 72 teams have been formed under HYDRAA. To strengthen these teams with required powers and staff would be allocated from police, survey and irrigation departments, she added.

The protection of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar is also being handed over from HMWSSB to HYDRAA. This apart, measures are also being taken to empower HYDRAA with provisions of serving notices to unauthorized structures. At present, it does not have the powers to serve notices and can only clear encroachments, save under a few provisions of GHMC.

The Chief Secretary directed the municipal administration department to prepare guidelines for entrusting the responsibilities of protecting lakes, parks, nalas and government lands within ORR to HYDRAA.

At present, GHMC, irrigation, panchayat raj and others were issuing notices independently over encroachments in water bodies and government lands. To do away with the practice, modalities should be prepared to empower HYDRAA with provisions of serving notices, the Chief Secretary said.