Telangana may go for new law to protect rivers

Holds review meeting with GHMC officials on undertaking widening of nalas

Hyderabad: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao said measures were being taken to introduce a new law, if required, for protection and development of rivers and nalas.

On Tuesday, the MAUD Minister held a review meeting with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) senior officials as the municipal corporation has drawn up plans to undertake a comprehensive programme for widening and development of nalas in the city. A special meeting will be conducted with MLAs in the city shortly to discuss different aspects pertaining to nalas widening programme, he said.

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In the past, the Minister had conducted several preliminary meetings on the plans to construct retaining walls for nalas and strengthening the existing ones. The meeting held on Tuesday specifically focused on nala development programme to be launched shortly in all the GHMC zones.

Due to rapid urbanisation, nalas in many areas of the city got shrunk and there was a need to strengthen the structures. The State government was already working on this aspect and already comprehensive plans were drawn, the Minister said at the meeting.

During the last few years, heavy rains have been lashing the city within short span and this was resulting in flooding of many areas like never before, he said adding that the exercise to widen and strengthen the nalas was need of the hour. The programme has to be taken forward with the primary intention of ensuring that there was no harm or any problems to citizens in the future due to floods, said the Minister.

“The State Government will take a humanitarian stand in the case of poor affected due to nala expansion programme. Possibilities will be explored for allocating a double bedroom house to all eligible persons,” said Rama Rao.

During the meeting, GHMC Zonal Commissioners briefed the Minister on the nala development works. They also shared the details of field level surveys conducted on different issues, including existing obstructions in the nalas,
widening the structures and construction of retaining walls.

The Minister suggested the officials to take up the programme in coordination with the Strategic Nala Development Programme. Apart from nala widening in the first phase, he wanted the officials to identify bottlenecks that were resulting in flooding of neighbouring areas during heavy rains and to clear them on war footing basis.

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