© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Telangana High Court on Thursday strongly criticised the nature and style of functioning of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), and warned of “stalling all its actions in all matters, leaving aside water bodies and nalas, if they continue working in the present style of work.”
Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, while hearing a matter regarding the demolition of a multi-storied structure owned by Sandhya Hotels in Gachibowli’s FCI layout on November 17, asked whether HYDRAA had a standard operating procedure for handling complaints. “Please formalise your actions; otherwise, it will be difficult. I am cautioning you. I will have to stall all actions of HYDRAA in all matters, leaving aside water bodies and nalas. Because nobody knows what you are doing,” said Justice Reddy.
Justice Reddy held that there is no clarity on the manner in which HYDRAA operates. “I have been in the current roster for 8 months, and I still don’t know what HYDRAA does. Even the counsel representing HYDRAA doesn’t know. There are 400 to 500 cases involving HYDRAA. In every case, they (HYDRAA) come up with new arguments and new grounds,” Justice Reddy said.
Additional Advocate General Md Imran Khan, representing HYDRAA, informed the court that the agency had followed due process and had removed only encroachments on the road in the layout. He denied the petitioners’ claim that demolition began at 4 am and said it began at 6 am.
The bench questioned the agency’s need to rush demolition in the early hours and noted that the notices issued did not specify the details of the encroached roads. The bench also questioned how the agency arrived at the measurements for encroachments.
Justice Reddy said, “Tomorrow, a day will come when a person or authority is conferred with unlimited powers, and you yourself cannot control him (HYDRAA).”
The bench ordered that HYDRAA’s scope of powers needs to be examined. “What is the scope of its powers? Whether HYDRAA is following any SOP or acting in accordance with the provisions of the GHMC Act? These aspects require detailed consideration,” the order stated.
The bench directed Sandhya Group not to undertake any further construction on the subject property for 15 days. “At the same time, HYDRAA, its subordinates, and officials are directed not to enter the site,” said the judge.
Meanwhile, the bench allowed individual plot owners to access their respective plots in the layout.
Justice Reddy also directed Additional Advocate General Khan and the petitioners to file a copy of the FCI layout, and said the chief secretary is not a necessary party in the contempt petition filed by Sandhya Group.
