HYDRAA like mechanism sought in Nagarkurnool district

Metro India News | NAGAR KURNOOL

There is a growing demand for HYDRAA like initiative in the district municipalities, where encroachments on lakes, ponds, drainage channels, and government land continue unchecked. They claim that politically connected businessmen and real estate developers have been occupying public land and constructing commercial and residential buildings, despite repeated complaints to municipal authorities and gram panchayats. According to local residents, allegations of encroachment have been levelled against individuals with political influence, including leaders at various levels.

They argue that these illegal constructions have obstructed natural drainage systems, causing roads to become waterlogged and sewage to enter residential areas even after moderate rainfall. While municipal workers are often deployed to clear water during emergencies, residents say permanent measures to remove encroachments and restore drainage networks have not been taken.  The issue has become particularly significant as urban areas in Nagarkurnool, Kalwakurthy, Achampet, and Kollapur continue to expand. Local residents allege that lakes, ponds, drainage channels, and road margins on the outskirts of these towns are increasingly being encroached upon for residential and commercial development, often without maintaining the mandatory building setbacks required.

Residents point to Kesari Samudram Lake in Nagarkurnool as an example. They note that municipal, irrigation, and revenue authorities had previously submitted reports to the National Green Tribunal identifying nearly 45 instances of alleged encroachments on the lake's Full Tank Level (FTL) area. However, they contend that despite these findings, enforcement has largely been limited to issuing notices, with no substantial action taken to remove the illegal structures.

The perceived contrast between Hyderabad and the districts has prompted residents to question why a HYDRA-like enforcement mechanism has not been extended beyond the state capital. They argue that if the government can take stringent action against illegal constructions in Hyderabad, similar measures should be implemented across the districts to protect public land and water bodies. Citizens are urging the government to establish an effective enforcement mechanism in district municipalities, strengthen monitoring of public lands, and take decisive action against illegal encroachments to preserve water bodies and prevent recurring urban flooding.