The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) will move ahead with the demolition of the Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus, constructed on the Salkam Cheruvu tank bed in Chandrayangutta. Commissioner A.V. Ranganath confirmed that action will follow once the final notification and full tank level (FTL) verification are completed.
He explained that the delay was deliberate to avoid legal complications, noting that nearly 80% of the city’s 900 lakes face similar notification gaps. Lake rejuvenation, he stressed, remains central to HYDRAA’s mission. Successful examples include Bathukamma Kunta, where 10 acres of encroachments were cleared, and Nalla Cheruvu, now being developed into a recreation spot.
Ranganath also highlighted the need for scientific precision in determining FTLs, using Survey of India maps, remote sensing data, and hydraulic calculations. With lake-adjacent land valued at up to ₹60 crore per acre, encroachment pressures are immense. So far, 135 lakes have been notified, and six are under rejuvenation with CSR support.
To strengthen disaster management, HYDRAA has urged the IMD to modernise forecasting systems and expand Hyderabad’s network of Automatic Weather Stations. The authority also plans new initiatives, including nala notifications, a plastic-free Hyderabad campaign, biodiversity projects at Ameenpur Lake, and CSR-supported recreational facilities.
Despite challenges of manpower, budget, and legal battles, HYDRAA is pressing ahead. “Our actions are meant to protect Hyderabad’s environment for the next hundred years,” Ranganath said.
