Hyderabad: The newly launched Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRA) is sending shockwaves in Telangana in both ruling and opposition camps alike.
Launched in July, HYDRA took on the responsibility of managing disaster response and safeguarding public assets within the Telangana Core Urban Region (TCUR).
HYDRA immediately took on the task of clearing encroachments on lakes, which were causing public inconvenience by flooding the roads even during moderate rainfall. There have been reports that wealthy businessmen and politicians from across the parties own farm houses along the buffer zone of the Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar lakes, which are large water bodies.
The demolition of Tollywood actor Akkineni Nagarjuna's convention centre on Saturday in Hyderabad's Central Business Centre (CBC), Madhapur, is being viewed as a stern warning to any potential encroachers, regardless of their stature and influence at high places.
Allegations suggest that since 2012, no government has risked demolishing 'High profile' Nagarjuna's property due to lake encroachment, despite public discussions about the issue. Until now, HYDRA has demolished structures at 18 locations and cleared around 48 acres of encroachments in areas as upmarket as Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Lotus Pond, and Madhapur.
These properties included actor Nagarjuna, former Union Minister MM Pallam Raju's brother, and Kaveri Seeds owner Bhasker Rao. While the opposition BRS has accused the government of using HYDRA to settle political scores, chief minister A Revanth Reddy said he had taken up the HYDRA task, inspired by Bhagavadgita's teachings. The BJP dared the Revanth Reddy government to demolish Fatima Owaisi College, built by AIMIM's Owaisis, which is allegedly encroaching upon Salkam Cheruvu.
In a meeting on Monday, MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi defended Fatima Owaisi College. He said Owaisi College provides free education to 40,000 students. “Shoot me with bullets, but don’t destroy my college. The skills I am imparting to the students are making others jealous. If someone harbors animosity towards me, they are welcome to confront me with swords and guns. But don’t try to stop my good work,” said Akabaruddin.
His elder brother and MIM chief, Aaduddin Owaisi, said HYDRA lacked statutory backing and that many government offices, including CCMB and GHMC, are located within the lakes' FTL. “Will the government demolish Necklace Road?” asked Asaduddin Owaisi.
Besides generating political heat, HYDRA is also receiving support from the general public.
The Gandipet Welfare Society organised a “Support Walk" on Sunday to raise awareness about protecting local lakes. Students from several colleges and residents of gated communities in the vicinity of Gandipet Lake took out walk-carrying placards in support of HYDRA.
Inspired by Sri Kishna's Gita teachings: Revanth
At the foundation stone-laying ceremony for Hare Krishna Heritage Tower in Hyderabad on Sunday, Revanth Reddy said Nizam rulers developed Hyderabad as Lake City a hundred years ago.
“Some farm houses have been built for luxuries in the vicinity of lakes and ponds, which quenched the thirst of crores of people. Farm houses are discharging their waste water into Gandipet and Himayat Sagar, vital water sources for the city. As elected public representatives, we should not neglect them. It is the reason the government started protecting the lakhs from encroachments through HYDRA. Inspired by Lord Krishna's teachings from the Bhagavadgita to Arjuna during the Kurukshetra battle, our government is committed to combating the encroachment of lakes,” he said and added This is not a program for politics or political parties and emphasizing that the government has undertaken this program with the intention of improving the lives of future generations. “We will not succumb to the pressure and take stringent action against the encroachers. Our government stands for righteousness in the spirit of Lord Krishna's teachings,” he added.