The Hyderabad Catastrophe Response & Asset Safety Company (HYDRAA) has created ripples within the metropolis’s civic enforcement scene in its first 12 months of existence. Its functioning, nevertheless, has not been with out controversy. On this interview, HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath displays on the company’s year-long journey. Edited excerpts:
Q. Are you able to dwell upon the achievements of HYDRAA over the previous one 12 months? Have you ever been capable of reside as much as the target with which HYDRAA was established?
A. HYDRAA was created by an government order final 12 months, on July 19, 2024, with the dual targets of Catastrophe Administration/Response coupled with Asset Safety. One of many main achievements is creation of consciousness among the many public towards encroachment of lakes and water our bodies. Not too long ago we performed an exhibition at Ravindra Bharathi. It was a faculty exhibition. Many faculties, each authorities and personal, participated. Youngsters aged round 8-9 years age knew what FTL (full tank stage) is and what buffer is — one thing that I bought to know solely after taking up as HYDRAA Commissioner. The general public is conscious of authorized points. Their consciousness has helped us quite a bit in checking or decreasing the tempo with which encroachments are happening in Hyderabad metropolis. Final 12 months, after I joined HYDRAA as Commissioner, I visited the Nationwide Distant Sensing Centre. I met the director Prakash Chauhan and a few scientists there. By a presentation, they confirmed us that 61% of lakes in Hyderabad are already encroached and the tempo at which the encroachments are occurring, in one other 12-15 years, all of the lakes within the metropolis would disappear, if left unchecked.
For us, the very first thing was to verify rampant encroachment in a stern manner. With that in thoughts, we went powerful on the encroachments within the preliminary months. The intent is to cut back the speed at which the encroachments are occurring. You possibly can see that the water physique encroachments have come to a standstill. I’m not saying it has utterly stopped, nevertheless it has quickly lowered.
The second step was to see that encroached land is reclaimed. HYDRAA is creating six lakes with authorities funds. Now we have taken over the land and now we’re rejuvenating the lakes. Bathukamma Kunta, as an example, was no lake. It was a rubbish dumping yard. No person had even imagined a lake to be there. Now, it has been revived and there’s a large water physique there. We had a gathering on July 18 at Bathukamma Kunta, and the folks from close by slums and localities got here ahead and took part within the celebrations.
Q. What was responsible for selecting the primary three operations — Lotus Pond, Bam Rukn-ud-Daula Lake and Thammidi Kunta? Did you wish to instil concern?
A. No. The Lotus Pond was a park encroachment. One Narne Gokul from Narne Property had encroached the neighbouring park land of just about an acre, price ₹100 crore in that exact space. That was the day I joined as Commissioner of EVDM (Enforcement, Vigilance, Catastrophe Administration, a precursor to HYDRAA). Following media experiences concerning the encroachment there, our quick response was to go there. No matter wall had been constructed was instantly eliminated. We erected our personal fencing.
Concerning the different two, I had requested the opposite departments concerning the circumstances that had been pending execution. In these (Bam Rukn-ud-Daula and N-Conference) points, the talking orders by the municipal authorities involved had been full, and the method was finished. Solely execution was pending. I don’t know what had stopped them from going forward with the execution, however we thought we might decide up such circumstances and begin executing. Being high-profile circumstances, they bought media consideration, however we did it in very routine (method). At the moment, we weren’t delegated powers below varied enactments.
Q. Have been there any pressures on you — like in case of Bam-Rukn-ud-Daula, when some political leaders arrived on the website?
A. The native MLA, who apparently was recognized as encroacher there (Bam-Rukn-ud-Daula), was instantly picked up and brought to the police station. We demolished the constructing he was developing, and plenty of different constructions developing within the lake. They had been being bought as plots. In case of N-Conference too, we did the identical factor — determine the encroachment and verify the whether or not the method has been utterly complied with or not. As soon as it was finished, we went forward with the encroachment elimination.
Q. After these three high-profile circumstances, some sort of lull has set in and you’ve got utterly turned focus to colony encroachments, roads and parks. Is there any particular cause behind that?
A. As soon as we went the entire hog on the elimination of encroachments in August and September (2024), there was an try to tag HYDRAA with the elimination of encroachments on Musi river. That was in October. However HYDRAA had nothing to do with elimination of Musi encroachments. Numerous poor folks and the decrease center class had dwellings there. Native authorities tried to take away a number of the encroachments, and it was all put into our account. We had a delicate scenario, when the then principal secretary of MA&UD M.Dana Kishore and I had addressed a press meet the place I clarified HYDRAA’s stand. Thereafter, plenty of concern was generated about elimination of encroachments by HYDRAA. So we thought we must always take a gentle path, and began to strengthen our line of (work) legally. The federal government delegated plenty of powers by way of enactments in October and November below varied Acts like Irrigation Act, Municipalities Act and GHMC Act. We bought plenty of powers which hitherto had been with different companies. HYDRAA was competent to take away the encroachments; it doesn’t should look to another company for any help. Now we have finished some main demolitions thereafter.
Q. You may have been comfortable on encroachers of Salkam Cheruvu…
A. I wish to make clear this too. Salkam Cheruvu is the place Mr. Owaisi’s Fathima School (Fathima Owaisi Girls’s School run by the Salar-e-Millat Instructional Belief of which MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi is the founder) has come up.
You must perceive the evolution technique of HYDRAA’s operations on this one 12 months. The federal government has give you a coverage on what HYDRAA’s function can be. HYDRAA’s elimination of encroachments won’t apply to the constructions retrospectively, that’s earlier to the creation of HYDRAA. Dwellings that had come up previous to HYDRA’s creation won’t be disturbed, as a result of the general public was jittery about whether or not their constructions can be demolished. Solely unauthorised business constructions, like N-Conference will likely be eliminated even whether it is within the FTL previous to creation of HYDRAA.
The school was constructed in 2015-16 after which, on December 16, 2016, preliminary notification of Salkam Cheruvu was finished. A colony got here up within the neighbourhood — MM Colony, abutting the faculty, with tons of of dwellings belonging to the poor and decrease middle-class segments. There was solely preliminary notification for Fathima School. No ultimate notification has come up. And Fathima School will not be a business entity. It’s a charity-run establishment. Charity or no charity, HYDRAA will perform as per directives of the Supreme Court docket, or the varied legal guidelines which are in power in respect to FTL and lakes. As soon as the ultimate notification is completed, as per the coverage of the federal government, court docket directives and legal guidelines in power, a choice will likely be taken.
Q. However the most typical allegation towards you is that you simply don’t look after due course of. You don’t concern notices earlier than going for demolition, or give the ‘encroachers’ sufficient time to furnish replies…
A. In October, plenty of powers had been delegated to HYDRAA. In November, there was a judgement of the Supreme Court docket, by Justice Gavai (B.R.Gavai), famously referred to as bulldozer justice. A division bench of the Supreme Court docket has give you the procedures that should be adhered to whereas finishing up demolitions. In that, it’s particularly talked about that if you find yourself eradicating encroachments with respect to water our bodies or roads, nalas or any lakes, the process prescribed within the judgment needn’t be adopted. We’re clearly adhering to the Supreme Court docket instructions with respect to demolitions. We completely comply with due course of. The method is that you simply don’t want to stick to the discover system in respect to encroachments in sure circumstances.
Q. However you could have obtained fairly a number of raps from the Excessive Court docket with regard to the identical concern.
A. Numerous misinformation is carried out about HYDRAA. Many a time, optimistic feedback from the court docket’s facet are usually not reported. One or two unfavorable feedback are exaggerated or proven within the media another way.
Now we have some video clippings the place the clipping says one thing however the information merchandise says one thing else. I’ve seen that one reporter experiences and the remainder comply with the identical. You hardly see any reporter sitting there and listening to the feedback of the decide. Numerous misinformation is unfold about HYDRAA exactly by the grabbers. Numerous vested pursuits function round land mafia. Now we have to be first conscious of this. HYDRAA is the first-of-its-kind establishment within the nation the place energy is vested with, and the place our primary goal is to see that water our bodies and nalas are protected.
Since January 1, we opened ourselves as much as public complaints — we began Parajavani. To our shock, folks began coming with complaints of their layouts being occupied, compound partitions being constructed throughout the perimeter of the format — the reason is that the grabbers tried to seize the land at a throwaway worth. We freed 2,200 plots on three acres in Nalla Malla Reddy’s format, and 20-25 acres in Gachibowli the place the value per sq. yard was ₹3 lakh. I see this as a a lot greater achievement. Singareni Collieries staff had been there. Hundreds of them celebrated. In dozens of colonies, we eliminated partitions. That’s the place the general public had been actual beneficiaries. Compound partitions of Dalit colonies had been eliminated too. Eradicating a wall may appear easy, however I really feel that had a a lot greater impression than eradicating some N-Conference, as a result of 1000’s of individuals had been rejoicing as in the event that they bought freedom.
Q. Numerous this stuff occur solely when there’s political will. Are you not afraid that when political management adjustments, all this stuff will likely be reverted?
A. HYDRAA is an expert establishment. We don’t goal explicit leaders. Initially, the blame recreation was like that, however now you see the monitor report of HYDRAA within the final one 12 months. Many from the ruling get together, Opposition and even bigwigs had been there, regardless of get together affiliation. No person nurtures the doubts and apprehensions which existed on the preliminary stage when HYDRAA was constituted. It’s not political opinion, it isn’t simply attributed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy or any xyz. Regardless of the political management, I’m certain HYDRAA as an establishment goes to remain. As a result of that is an establishment that works solely on skilled traces, and we see that impartiality is adhered to. Solely professionalism and nothing else drives our work.
HYDRAA officers demolish business constructions illegally constructed over the stormwater nala at Patny Middle, in Secunderabad on June 6, 2025.
| Picture Credit score:
RAMAKRISHNA G.
Q. It additionally relies upon quite a bit on management. What provides you a lot power? You’re all the time seen on the sphere, proper since morning until night.
A. To know the field-level scenario, you need to get on the bottom. I’m used to this form of working for the final 25 years. Sitting within the AC chambers and attempting to cross orders on the information or making a theoretical assertion, I don’t suppose we are able to convey a few change or give you an answer. HYDRAA is very result-oriented. If one desires end result, one must get on the bottom, perceive sensible points, be extremely targeted and goal oriented.
Q. For you, how has it been transitioning from being a police officer?
A. For me, I used to be fairly comfy with IPC, CrPC, Proof Act and legal legal guidelines. After coming right here, I needed to learn the Irrigation Act, Municipalities Act, GHMC Act, and varied judgments. So, the preliminary 4 to 5 months had been fairly powerful. I had plenty of studying to do. After I returned residence at 9 p.m., I’d sit up and browse until 1 a.m. to 2 a.m., attempt to perceive the jargons — what’s buffer zone, what’s FTL and many others. We had brainstorming classes with varied specialists each Saturday — surveyors, city planners and authorized specialists. I strongly consider that data is energy. After getting satisfactory data, you’ll be higher geared up to deal with the scenario.
Q. In public notion, HYDRAA is a demolition power. You’re synonymous with a bulldozer. Have you ever been doing something to vary that notion?
A. Completely. That’s why we are actually on to building exercise. Now we have began creating lakes. HYDRAA has taken up work on six lakes. The federal government intends handy over some extra lakes. Demolition per se will not be a unfavorable factor. It is usually required to verify rampant encroachments. However demolition alone doesn’t suffice and doesn’t alone serve the aim for which HYDRAA has been created. Our final goal is to revive a lake. Now we have by no means overpassed the target for which we demolish one thing.
I’m certain within the days to return, no matter misconceptions or apprehensions are there, the general public will come to know. Many mature individuals are understanding it, however some vested pursuits who need the established order to proceed try to unfold mistaken issues about HYDRAA. Hundreds of individuals come to HYDRAA workplace. Now we have 25,000 complaints pending. On Prajavani days, folks queue up from 6 a.m., attempting to get token numbers. That’s the sort of religion they’ve in HYDRAA as an establishment.
Q. What number of lakes have you ever notified because the chairperson of the Lake Safety Committee inside the Outer Ring Highway?
A. Until now, we’ve got not finished notifications for any lake from HYDRAA’s facet. HMDA has finished about 140-145 notifications. We had been ready for important information from NRSC. Now we’ve got the information. In 2006, NRSC had flown some plane over Hyderabad as much as ORR and picked up contours in Digital Elevation Mannequin and Digital Terrain Mannequin with 15 centimetres accuracy. Now the information has been transformed to our format and we’re utilizing that. I want scientifically sound technical information to look into public grievances. We are going to begin notifying lakes now. This 12 months, our complete endeavour will likely be about notification of lakes. That will likely be finished with excessive precision in a language understood by the general public. We are going to attempt to notify and hold them in public area the place public can simply perceive the place their lands are, whether or not in FTL or buffer zone. Aside from this, we’re amassing information from varied companies.
Q. Do you see a task for establishments like HYDRAA in different cities of the nation?
A. Had Establishments like HYDRAA been constituted a decade in the past, many encroachments might have been averted. I consider this form of establishments are very a lot required all through the nation. Encroachment of water our bodies, land grabbing are occurring throughout India. The setting is put to threat. If you wish to have a sustainable improvement mannequin the place you could have intergenerational fairness, no matter assets you could have inherited from the earlier era, should be handed on to the following ones. Each metropolis sees city flooding and results of world warming and local weather change. Establishments like HYDRAA ought to be in each metropolis as a result of the issues are the identical.