HYDRAA Ordinance likely in a month: Ranganath

HYDRAA Commissioner defends agency's legal status amid widespread questioning, government to introduce Ordinance for statutory recognition.

Commissioner of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) A. V. Ranganath sought to defend the legal status of the agency which is being widely questioned.

While addressing a conference organised by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI), Mr. Ranganath said HYDRAA had been constituted by an executive resolution much like Planning Commission, Cabinet Secretariat, Law Commission, ACB and Vigilance & Enforcement wings.

Referring to a petition filed in the High Court questioning the legality of HYDRAA, Mr. Ranganth said the government is in the process of coming up with an Ordinance to give statutory status to the agency, which will have to be ratified by the Legislature within six weeks with an Act.

The Ordinance, which is likely to come in a month, is set to accord special powers to HYDRAA making it the enforcement authority with reference to various Acts such as GHMC Act, Telangana Municipal Act, Irrigation Act and WALTA Act.

HYDRAA does not issue notices to the violators but will function through notices served by associated departments such as Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Irrigation, Revenue and urban local bodies. Mr. Ranganath likened the agency to task force, greyhounds, and such groups, which support the police.

Mr. Ranganath further emphasised that there are several court judgements which said notices are not needed to pull down the structures from the full tank levels of water bodies. He categorically stated that if the structures are within FTL, the permissions obtained through influence would not stop the agency from taking action.