Hyderabad, Aug.27 (NSS): Forum for Good Governance president M. Padmanabha Reddy has written a letter to Chief Minister N. Revanth Reddy about certain suggestions in implementation of HYDRAA. He appreciated the decision in constituting HYDRAA to protect the government assets, especially water bodies located in and around Hyderabad.
He said while implementing the G.O 99, there are certain problems being faced by purchaser of flats. In this regard, Forum for Good Governance proposes the following measures and further action to help the affected people. Firstly, builders have constructed flats in Full Tank Level (FTL)/ Buffer Zone and sold the flats to unsuspecting people mostly belonging to lower middle class and middle class families. When HYDRAA authorities demolish such flats/ houses, the builder should be held responsible and his properties be confiscated and the persons who lost their flat/plot should be compensated. In case that is not possible, the government should provide alternative land and financial help for the persons to construct his dwelling (Indiramma Houses).
Secondly, for construction of Flats the builder has to follow the procedure like purchase the land and get it registered in his or his company’s name. For this, he has to pay 8% tax to registration department. After getting the land in his name, he has to prepare layout plan and get the layout approved from H.M.D.A, again paying substantial amount as tax. Once the layout is approved, he may sell the plots or construct flats, for this he has to approach G.H.M.C and get the construction plan approved by paying close to 8% fee. The above three agencies charge huge fee but clearly mention “these permissions accorded do not certify the ownership of the land” (something like conditions apply). If these three agencies are not verifying the ownership of the property (Flat/plot) why charge fee for registration or approval. There is a need to make the agencies to verify ownership before registration or approval of plans. The irrigation department who is the owner of the tanks should inform the Sy. Nos which are coming under F.T.L / Buffer zone to registration department, H.U.D.A and G.H.M.C with a clear mention not to take action on these prohibited Sy. No lands.
Action has to be initiated on officials of registration department H.M.D.A and G.H.M.C for dereliction of duty, convenience with builders leading to grave suffering and injustice to unsuspecting purchasers.
HYDRAA is created to restore the encroached tanks to their original status, what is being done now is just clearing the encroachment by demolishing the structure, after demolition the construction material along with silt should be removed from the tank bed. Feeder channel and out let should be cleared of obstructions and tank should be fenced. Most of the colonies which came up around the tank are letting out their sewerage water into tank. Sewerage should be diverted or treated by constructing a S.T.P and treated water only to be let into the tank and the tank should be handed over to neighbouring colony residents for protection and maintenance. All these steps have to be taken to restore the tank and to bring it to its past glory.
Seeing the good work being done by HYDRAA there are lot of demands from districts for similar agency, especially from Warangal which is the worst sufferer due to encroachments in Tanks and Nalas. At present the jurisdiction of HYDRAA is limited to the GHMC limits and is created under G.O. No. 99. To spread its activities to entire state an independent agency in the name of Telangana Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (T.G. D.R.A.A.) should be created through an Act to give legal status to the agency.
To sum up, Forum for Good Governance while appreciating the bold initiative taken by Chief Minister, request to take humanitarian approach in case of victims especially the poor and the middle class people, he added.
