HYDRAA needs strong policy backing: Expert
HYDERABAD: Calling for the formulation of a “city policy”, noted environmentalist and professor K Purushottam Reddy on Monday said that for Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) would be more effective in achieving its objectives if government departments such as the Pollution Control Board (PCB), GHMC, HMDA, irrigation and revenue extend their cooperation.
Speaking at an awareness programme on cost-effective methods for protecting and restoring ponds and canals at the agency’s office before commissioner AV Ranganath, he said the setting up of HYDRAA had made people more aware of catchment areas, buffer zones and full tank limits (FTLs). “Before buying land, people are enquiring whether it’s government land or on the riverbed and all those things,” he said.
Stating that Telangana was urbanising rapidly, Professor Purushottam called for a policy to take urban issues into consideration while protecting the environment and defining the role of PCB. “Only through clear policies and strict laws can we ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. Protecting our city’s unique environment is a shared responsibility,” he said.
The environmentalist asked HYDRAA to focus equally on pollution sources, not just the preservation of water bodies. “HYDRAA should aim to protect rainwater, ponds, groundwater and land from desiccation, and prevent soil erosion… If we plan for water redirection after ponds reach capacity, the city can avoid floods during the rainy season and support groundwater recharge during dry months,” he added.
Professor Purushottam cited Gottigaripalle village in Kohir mandal, near Zaheerabad, as an example of effective water body protection. “This village once had no water resources, but today it supports three crop cycles annually,” he noted.
He recommended that HYDRAA hold meetings with environmentalists and youths alongside the PCB, GHMC and other departments concerned.