The Governor has given the green signal for the Hydra Ordinance, granting high powers to the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection (Hydra). The ordinance adds Section 374-B to the Municipal Act, empowering Hydra to address obstacles. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma approved the ordinance after the Cabinet’s approval and an explanation from the Principal Secretary of the Municipal Department. The ordinance aims to protect government properties, ponds, and canals up to the extent of ORR, transferring powers from the District Collector, Mmarvo, and Waltaya to Hydra.
In other news, the beautification of the Musi river took a step forward with the demolition of houses in the riverbed identified by a drone survey. Residences of voluntary evacuees are being removed, and after receiving keys to double-bedroom houses, they are demolishing the vacated houses. Demolition of houses took place in Shankarnagar and Vinayaka streets under the jurisdiction of Nampalli, Saidabad, and Himayatnagar mandals in Hyderabad. In total, 83 houses were demolished out of 300 marked structures. Evacuees are being moved to cat huts in Malakpet and a complex of double-bedroom houses in Pratapa Singaram in Uppal. However, some residents protested in Shankarnagar, expressing concerns about living in smaller double bedrooms. The RDO Mahipal reported that 148 people have left since Saturday. Additionally, 24 people have been moved from Nampally to double bedrooms in Jiyaguda.
The beautification project identified 2,166 structures through drone surveys in Hyderabad and joint Rangareddy districts, marking 1,478 houses in the riverbed. Officials are providing counseling and taking measures to move residents to double bedrooms, although opinions are mixed. Some feel their problems are solved, while others believe they are being unfairly treated. Residents question the fairness of providing double bedrooms to those living in smaller plots and claim that those who moved to double-bedroom houses are facing issues. Collector Anudeep Durishetti has established a Grievance Cell in the Collectorate to address the problems of Musi residents.