Telangana Cabinet Grants Expanded Powers to HYDRAA for Protection of Lakes and Waterways

Hyderabad: In a significant move, the Telangana Cabinet has granted enhanced legal powers and autonomy to the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) to safeguard the city’s vital water bodies, including lakes, reservoirs, and nalas, within the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy announced that rules had been amended to give HYDRAA a greater scope of authority. “All the rights and powers once exclusive to municipalities, corporations, and other government departments are now extended to HYDRAA as well,” said the Minister.

HYDRAA’s jurisdiction now spans 27 urban local bodies and 51 Gram Panchayats that have been integrated into various municipal bodies within the ORR, covering vast stretches of land crucial for water conservation and flood prevention efforts.

“HYDRAA will now operate with the same level of independence enjoyed by other departments, enabling more efficient responses to environmental hazards and better protection of water resources,” added Minister Reddy. Although the details of the legal sanctity and extended powers were not fully disclosed, the amendment is expected to streamline operations and enforcement.

To bolster HYDRAA’s efforts, 169 officers and 946 outsourced employees from various departments will be deputed to work under the agency. These additional resources are expected to help HYDRAA carry out its mission of protecting Hyderabad’s natural assets with greater precision and urgency.

This decision marks a pivotal moment in Telangana’s environmental policy, giving HYDRAA the tools needed to protect the city’s fragile water ecosystems amidst rapid urban expansion.