Hyderabad: The demarcation of the full-tank level (FTL) and buffer-zones of the irrigation tanks in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s (GHMC) limits will take more time, according to the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) commissioner AV Ranganath.
During a ‘Meet The Press’ programme held at the Basheerbagh Press Club on Saturday, August 23, he said only a preliminary notification was issued for 80 percent (135-140 tanks) of the 900-odd irrigation tanks falling under the GHMC’s limits for determining their FTL till now.
Submitting that FTL has not been demarcated in any irrigation tank after the formation of HYDRAA, he said only after thoroughly comparing the data of the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), the Survey of India’s topographical sheets, the village and cadastral maps, and other records.
“HYDRAA will arrive at the FTL by doing reverse engineering. That is, by finding out the ayacut under the irrigation tanks, the height of the bunds and other aspects. This data will be compared with information available from other agencies and the present extent of the tanks in order to arrive at an accurate FTL demarcation,” Ranganath said.
“HYDRAA will issue a final notification if discrepancies are found,” he said, adding, nala will also be notified the same way.
On Fatima Owaisi Women’s College
Responding to allegations of HYDRAA’s partiality towards Fatima Owaisi Women’s College, reported to have been built inside the Full Tank Level (FTL) of Salkam Cheruvu, Ranganath said they are awaiting the final notification, after which further action will be taken.
Citing the example of actor Nagarjuna’s N Convention, one of the many structures brought down by the agency, the HYDRAA chief said similar action will apply here. He also mentioned the reclamation of one acre of land in Chandrayangutta, where illegal structures built by an AIMIM corporator were razed. The reclaimed land, he said, has been allotted to the fire department for the construction of a fire station.
Ranganath also denied claims that HYDRAA was not adhering to the Supreme Court’s guidelines, that is, sending prior notices to alleged encroachers of lakes and government lands.
Criticism versus appreciation
Ranganath referred to the restoration of Nalla Cheruvu in Kukatpally, an effort that was vehemently opposed by the locals last year, but is now a picnic and walking spot.
“We had demolished 16 sheds under the FTL of Nalla Cheruvu. We had not touched a single house. We also informed the house owners about it, but they failed to inform their tenants, and a misunderstanding cropped up. Today, one can see how people are appreciating HYDRAA’s efforts,” he said.
“When a department or a government tries to think futuristically and go ahead, there will be inertia. At times, we need to be stubborn, take strong decisions and face criticism,” he opined.
He also spoke about a recent flood water inundation in Ambedkar Nagar, a local basti in Ameerpet, where six feet of water had entered several houses. “The basti dwellers lived in an apathetic condition. Such issues should be addressed before anything else,” he said, adding HYDRAA has taken up short-term adaptive measures to address the flooding.
Accuracy in weather forecasting still a challenge
Conceding that accuracy in weather forecasting was still a challenge that needed to be addressed, Ranganath said that the data collection from the surface/ground was not adequate to predict an accurate weather picture. “There are 150-155 automated weather stations in Telangana. It is not enough,” he said, noting that predicting the weather in a tropical country like India is not easy.
On HYDRAA police station
When asked why no cases had been filed at the HYDRAA police station months after its inauguration, Ranganath explained that certain technical and legal issues regarding the delegation of powers were still being worked out with the state government.
He expressed hope that the station would become fully operational within a month, with FIRs being registered through it.
