HYDRA’s success to shape Hyderabad as role model state

Hydrabad: The buzzing word today in Hyderabad is Hydra. Initiative taken by the chief minister of Telangana has become the talk of the town. Every week end people are curious to know which irregular illegal structures in the tank bed or the buffer zone are going to be targeted by hydra. The iconic structure belonging to the film star Nagarjuna apparently occupying tank bed land was demolished within hours on a weekend apparently planning the action in a way excluding the possibility of court interventions. Some of the farm houses structures of other political personalities are also targeted.

Initiative to reclaim and protect the tanks and the lakes which used to dot the city of Hyderabad century back but have been systematically occupied threatening the very existence of these water bodies is laudable. But the problem is too complex and complicated making the work of hydra challenging.

To succeed in an action like this hydra needs a well thought out strategy since their action is going to hit at some of the highly entrenched interests real estate, political and commercial.

First and foremost Hydra should concentrate on protecting fencing tank bed lands and buffer zones so that there are no further encroachments. This may not get the type of publicity that hydra is getting now while razing structures to the ground but is an easier thing to do and also much required. They need to have systematic action plan for protection while also going about demolition of illegal structures. Similarly taking care to see that the water bodies do not become a dumping yard for all chemical biological residues polluting the groundwater should also be a priority of Hydra.

Once the structures are demolished fencing and protecting that land also becomes major priority so that it is not again occupied. For all future constructions clearance from hydra should also be insisted so that no new structure is permitted in these areas. This would be adding one more bureaucratic layer, but necessary. Prevention is always better than demolition.

In terms of the structures to be demolished hydra should have a well thought out strategy. The first priority should be owner constructed owner occupied farm houses structures within the tank bed. They should desist from going after a tin shed here and a tin shed there. Such demolitions will only make a mockery of the whole exercise. There are colonies and apartments that have come up within the tank bed and buffer zones bought by unsuspecting citizens and living there. Dealing with them is going to be the biggest challenge for hydra. They have been built by the builder getting the necessary permissions after bribing the concerned authorities. In most cases the builder will go through the route of getting a stay from the court undertaking construction and present it as a fait accompli to the authorities for getting the necessary permissions.

Legal framework has to be examined to bring the builder into picture and a way of compensating the apartment owners for the loss by devising recovery from the builder concerned should be examined. These structures can be proceeded against only if they can be compensated for the investments that they have made. This is going to be a major challenge and how Hydra and the government address this issue will finally decide the success of hydra.

Encroachments, structures in the tank beds, buffer zones across nalas are major problems in all municipalities and corporations. Inundation woes in cities and towns during monsoon is partly due to these encroachments. Normally no politician would like to address this issue since it can stir a hornets’ nest. Revantha Reddy has taken the issue head on .The initiative should succeed and can become model for other states to emulate. Chances of aborting the initiative half way through are real given the fact most of such encroachers are politicians or have blessings of politicians .But if Hydra succeeds in it Hyderabad can set a model for other states to follow .Hyderabad and Bangalore are known for their tanks and lakes. Time these water bodies are reclaimed.