HYDRAA to Become Independent Enforcement Authority: Commissioner

Hyderabad: Asserting that Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) was a legal entity, its commissioner A.V. Ranganath said on Saturday that an ordinance for the agency would be formulated soon and work on the process was under way. He said that the Assembly would pass legislation on HYDRAA, making it an independent enforcement authority.

“Powers under various Acts will be delegated to HYDRAA,” he said, while mentioning the Water, Land and Trees Act, GHMC, irrigation department and other legislation. Ranganath was speaking at an event organised by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (Credai), Hyderabad.

Ranganath said that HYDRAA was established through GO 99. With reference to those who had approached court questioning HYDRAA’s legal status, the commissioner said the Law Commission, ACB and Vigilance & Enforcement wings and the Planning Commission were constituted through executive resolutions.

According to HYDRAA officials, the organisation will be further strengthened and will have offices in the police commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda, which will be similar to police stations, and the head office will be in Buddha Bhavan, near Tank Bund.

Elaborating on HYDRAA’s mandate he called it a striking force that can be compared to the Greyhounds, the specialised anti-Maoist wing of the police.

Ranganath said that HYDRAA was mainly into disaster management and assets protection. HYDRAA would take care of lakes, government land parcels, parks and open spaces marked in layouts, in addition to traffic-related encroachments. Ranganath also clarified that HYDRAA was not empowered to serve notices and it was assisting the local authorities including the municipalities, revenue, irrigation, other agencies.