HYDERABAD: A day after the Cabinet granted statutory status to the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA), it is learnt that the government is all set to promulgate an ordinance amending the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act.
Sources said that officials are currently drafting these amendments, adding that a new act for HYDRAA will not be created, rather the existing GHMC Act will be amended to confer powers to HYDRAA.
Currently, powers to protect lakes, water bodies, parks and other public spaces in Hyderabad are held by HMDA, GHMC and HMWSSB. Some lakes are also protected under the WALTA act, overseen by district collectors and tahsildars. The Cabinet’s decision will delegate similar powers to HYDRAA without removing those from existing organisations.
After the amendments, both HYDRAA and GHMC will work simultaneously to safeguard water bodies with the Outer Ring Road, including the recently added 27 Urban Local Bodies and 51 Gram Panchayats in GHMC.
An official told TNIE that the government has sought legal action to avoid legal challenges. The official said: “There will not be large-scale amendments, only one or two additional sections will be added to the Act.”
CCTV cameras to monitor water bodies in city
Meanwhile, sources reveal that to enhance lake protection, the Cabinet has decided to monitor lakes and water bodies with CCTV cameras and link them to Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), and said that the chief minister believes in the need for continuous monitoring through ICCC.