Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma approved an ordinance giving powers to Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). The agency would be empowered to notify buffer zones, catchment areas of water bodies within Outer Ring Road limits. The image is used for representative purpose only. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

HYDRAA gains statutory backing to protect water bodies from encroachments: Telangana Governor approves ordinance

The agency would be empowered to notify buffer zones, catchment areas of waterbodies within ORR

02 Oct 2024, 12:40 by M. Rajeev · The Hindu

The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) will forthwith have statutory backing in carrying out its activities, primarily protection of riverbeds and buffer zones from encroachments.

Governor approves ordinance

Telangana Government has drafted an ordinance to this effect transferring powers hitherto under the purview of different departments to HYDRAA enabling its uninterrupted operations. The ordinance envisaging transfer of powers vested in different departments to the Government, which in turn entrusted the responsibility of their effective implementation to HYDRAA, has been approved by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma recently.

HYDRAA would be empowered to notify buffer zones

The ordinance was necessitated as questions were raised about the statutory status of the agency established to provide disaster management and enforcement services in the core urban region of the State including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and all urban and rural local bodies within the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Though the contents of the ordinance are not available as yet, sources said HYDRAA would be empowered to notify Musi riverbed as well as catchment area and buffer zones of different lakes within the ORR limits.

Special powers to conduct survey of FTL and prevent encorachments

The ordinance vests special powers to the agency to conduct survey of full tank level (FTL) of various water bodies and take steps to ensure that there are no encroachments on them. A provision 374 (b) has been added enabling HYDRAA to check encroachments and issue notifications for vacating them. The agency has been conferred powers similar to zonal task forces and district task force working under the supervision of the district collector in discharging its duties. In addition to amendments to GHMC and related Acts, powers drawn from Land Encroachment Act, Land Revenue Act, Municipalities Act, Panchayat Raj Act and WALTA Act have been conferred on the agency to initiate action against encroachments on Government lands, particularly those around the water bodies.

Why were powers drawn from various acts conferred to HYDRAA?

This was necessitated as powers delegated under an Act passed by the State Legislature could not be delegated to other departments without statutory backing. The ordinance will be replaced by a comprehensive legislation in the special session of the Legislature being contemplated by the Government after Dasara. The all important Telangana Rights in Land and Pattadar Passbooks Act, familiar as record of rights act, is also likely to be passed in the special session.

Why is an ordinance issued?

An ordinance is issued when legislature is not in session. It will be replaced by an act of the legislature when the legislature session is convened.