HYDERABAD: In the light of criticism on social media against the demolition of illegal structures in Khajaguda, Bhageerathamma Cheruvu and Tautanikunta on Tuesday, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has clarified that demolitions were carried out after following due procedures.
HYDRAA Commissioner A V Ranganath stated that some unscrupulous land encroachers were spreading misinformation against the agency on social media. He asserted that the demolitions in Khajaguda lake were carried out as per Section 405 GHMC Act and no prior notice was required to be issued, if the structures came up in water bodies as per a recent Supreme Court judgment in November 2024 with regard to ‘Bulldozer Justice’.
The unauthorised structures in FTL/buffer zone of Bhageerathamma Cheruvu and Tautanikunta were demolished after following the due process. “Even though no notices need to be issued in respect of encroachments in water bodies as per law, HYDRAA still issued vacation notices on humanitarian grounds,” the HYDRAA chief clarified.
“HYDRAA has highest respect for the law of the land, judiciary and courts and will scrupulously follow the law, process in both letter and spirit while removing encroachments in 2025 and strive for protection of water bodies, parks, government lands and open spaces etc’’, he stated.
Demolitions were taken up on the complaint from locals regarding frequent water logging in their localities and adjoining areas due to unchecked encroachments at Tautani Kunta and Bhagerathamma Cheruvu, Khajaguda. HYDRAA and local officials visited the areas on two occasions to understand the problem. Final notification for Tautanikunta and preliminary notification for Bhageerathamma Cheruvu on FTL/buffer zone demarcation was done about eight years back. A meeting was held with all the owners of commercial shops, real estate developers, Shikham Pattadars at the office of HYDRAA, December 28, 2024. In the meeting it was clearly shown on Google Earth on the screen about the encroachments made into the Tautanikunta and Bhageerathamma Cheruvu clearly mentioning the FTL/buffer zone boundaries.