HYDRAA to step up lake protection drive: A V Ranganath
HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) will intensify its drive to protect lakes and remove encroachments, its commissioner A V Ranganath said on Sunday.
HYDRAA says focus on restoring lakes, not demolishing poor homes
Ranganath said HYDRAA’s objective was not limited to removing encroachments but also to restoring lakes as clean and healthy public spaces. He said lakes would be developed into areas that promote health, sports and recreation for children, youth and senior citizens.
He made it clear that HYDRAA had no intention of demolishing houses belonging to the poor. At the same time, he said influential encroachers who misuse the poor as a shield would not be spared.
Commissioner rules out leniency towards large encroachers
The HYDRAA commissioner was speaking at a gathering of former employees of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, organised by Haritha Chaitanya Kalakshetram at Red Hills in Hyderabad.
Ranganath said several lakes had turned toxic over the years and were being cleaned to ensure fresh water retention and to prevent the growth of invasive weeds such as water hyacinth. He said surrounding areas were being developed into walking tracks and playgrounds. Some lakes had already been restored in this manner, while work on several others would begin soon.
He said HYDRAA had so far cleared numerous encroachments and protected more than 1,000 acres of government land. The agency aims to remove encroachments on around 2,000 acres this year and safeguard government assets worth about ₹1 lakh crore, he added.
