Buildings flattened by HYDRAA include properties linked to politicians cutting across party lines, prominent businessmen and even celebrities.
Published Aug 26, 2024 | 8:27 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 26, 2024 | 8:27 PM
Representative image
The Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) is spreading across the city like the Wrath of God, razing buildings and structures that have come up in the Full Tank Level and Buffer Zones, regardless of who their owners are.
The HYDRAA, which began its demolition drive on 27 June, has already pulled down 166 structures and reclaimed 43.94 acres of land till 24 August. The owners of some of the buildings are influential people including film actor Nagarjuna, whose N Convention was pulled down this Saturday. The 166 structures removed included encroachments of lakes, parks, nalas, footpaths, and roads.
Those whose buildings were flattened included former union minister MM Pallam Raju’s brother Pallam Anand who had leased the land from another person, former TTD member GV Bhaskar Rao who is also the owner of Kaveri Seeds, BJP leader Sunil Reddy who contested unsuccessfully against minister D Sridhar Babu from Manthena Assembly segment, Pro Kabaddi owner Srinivas’s wife Anupama.
The officials also pulled own sheds set up by BRS leader Ratnakaram Sai Raju, encroachments made by those who have the support of Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender, AIMIM legislator from Bahadurpur Muhammad Mubeen, AIMIM MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig. Most of the structures pulled down were in Hyderabad’s prohibited zones of eight lakes.
With Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy reiterating that he was committed to clearing encroachments in lakes and nalas, the HYDRAA has doubled down on its resolve to remove the structures despite protests from politicians and others. The chief minister on Sunday,25 August, said that he intended to restore to the lakes their pristine glory.
This would minimise the suffering of the people in times of heavy rains and all illegal constructions would be pulled down regardless of the stature and station of their owners, he said. He said that his government would go after the encroachers without any discrimination. He recalled how Chennai, Uttarakhand and Wayanad had suffered for tampering with nature.
As even AIMIM legislators’ properties were also demolished, party supremo Asaduddin Owaisi grew angry and questioned HYDRAA whether it would raze even the government buildings close to Hussain Sagar Lake.
The BRS is doubting the Congress’ intent in razing buildings of even its leaders. Party leader T Harish Rao said the Congress was trying to arm twist the BRS leaders into subjugation and force them to join its ranks.
He said the authorities had visited the educational institutions owned by party MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy in Ghatkesar near Hyderabad. The MLA himself said that the Congress was trying pull down the buildings though he had all the clearances and even dared the officials to verify physically if the buildings had violated rules. If the physical inspection proved that the buildings were illegal, he would be in the forefront to demolish them, he said.
Though the owners of the buildings are raising Cain, there seems to be a positive response to the demolition drive as the HYDRA authorities are receiving complaints about the illegal structure and buildings in their localities. The CPI, the Congress ally, complimented the state government for its demolition drive and said it would stand by it. It, however, asked the government to spare the poor and the middle class but go after the affluent sections without any mercy.
Meanwhile, the staff of the Hyderabad Metropolitian Authority (HMDA) are surviving anxious moments with the government making it clear that it would find out those who were responsible for the issue of clearances in flagrant violation of rules.
According to sources, the government will soon inquire into why clearances were given against law if there were any extraneous considerations. The authorities have found that there were encroachments in about 30 lakes in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
(Edited by Neena)
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