Hyderabad: Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRA) commissioner AV Ranganath announced that an ordinance could be passed in October to reinforce the legal sanctity of HYDRA with special powers on the lines of Greyhounds and Taskforce.
During a media conference held in Hyderabad on Saturday, September 14, Ranganath said that HYDRA was established through GO 99 by executive resolution. He clarified that it is incorrect to claim the agency lacks legal standing.
He said that even in the past several legal entities were formed through an executive resolution like the planning commission which was formed in March 1950, the cabinet secretariat, the law commission, anti-corruption bureau, vigilance and enforcement just to name a few.
He said that the powers under various acts will be delegated to HYDRAA, by taking from Water, Land and Trees (WALTA) Act, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, Irrigation Act, and so on.
He said presently homework for the same was going on, and that once the policy document is ready, it will be sent for the cabinet’s approval, and then and ordinance will be passed in the legislative assembly within 6 weeks of the cabinet resolution being passed.
This comes at a time when a petition has been filed in the Telangana High Court questioning the legal authority of HYDRA in demolishing the structures.
Hearing a petition of one D Lakshmi, the High Court bench led by Justice Lakshman summoned the advocate general to appear before the court to explain the legal basis for the constitution of HYDRA.
