HYDRA Fortified: Cabinet confers absolute powers on it

Hyderabad: The much famous HYDRA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency) has been given absolute powers to protect the lakes, water bodies and government lands from encroachments.

The state Cabinet has ratified the proposal to delegate full powers to HYDRA on the lines of other government agencies like Irrigation, Revenue, Police and Urban Development to take action against the illegal occupants of the government properties and the precious water bodies in the ORR (Outer Ring Road Limits).

A legislation to this effect would be brought by adopting a bill for HYDRA in the Assembly soon. The Cabinet has also approved allotment of a strong 1000-member workforce on deputation from other departments and outsourcing staff to HYDRA. Briefing the press after a three-hour Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at the Secretariat here on Friday, I&PR Minister P Srinivas Reddy said that 27 urban local bodies and 51 Gram Panchayats along with the GHMC would come under the purview of HYDRA. All the powers enjoyed by the different government wings are being transferred to HYDRA to demolish the illegal structures constructed in the FTL and buffer zones of various lakes and other water bodies.

The Cabinet has also ratified naming the Women University after Telangana armed struggle leader Chakali Ilamma, Telugu University as Suravaram Pratap Reddy University and Indian Institute of Handloom Technology was named after Konda Lakshman Bapuji.

State Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Cabinet had given its nod to revise the estimation of the long-pending SLBC project. The project would be taken up at the cost of Rs 4,637 crore and would complete the works in two years. He said Rs 500 bonus for fine paddy would also be given to the farmers from this kharif season.

The Cabinet has also decided to fill around 3,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in the 8 medical colleges. Notification to fill the jobs will be issued soon, the minister said, adding that a 12-member official committee would be constituted to finalise the alignment of the RRR southern part.

Molti Model Logistic Park in 73 acres, Industrial Park in Khammam district, supply of fine rice from January, new ration cards, completion of Dindi Balancing Reservoir, Police Healthcare Scheme were among the other decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting.