HYDRAA Chief Exposes Land Mafia Tactics and Constitutional Defense of Lake Restoration
Commissioner A.V. Ranganath alleges that real estate syndicates are feeding false data to courts to shield illegal encroachments worth billions. The agency maintains its operations are legally grounded in protecting public assets and restoring Hyderabad's ecological heritage.
Constitutional Mandate and Asset Recovery
A.V. Ranganath, Commissioner of the Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), issued a firm defense of his agency's recent enforcement actions. He cited Articles 21 and 48A of the Constitution as the legal bedrock for protecting government-owned lands, parks, and water bodies. The Commissioner valued the public assets under protection at approximately ₹1.5 lakh crore based on current market rates. To date, the agency has successfully restored six lakes, with active rehabilitation projects underway for 20 more.
The Lothkunta Land Dispute and Environmental Damage
Ranganath detailed a significant confrontation in Lothkunta involving a real estate firm attempting to seize government land valued at nearly ₹10,000 crore. According to the Commissioner, the developer engaged in unauthorized blasting of ancient, billion-year-old heritage rock formations and the illegal felling of hundreds of trees. HYDRAA's intervention in this specific case followed formal complaints from the Society to Save Rocks, local residents, and environmental advocates.
Legal Warfare and Allegations of Misinformation
The Commissioner alleged that the land mafia is systematically attempting to mislead the judiciary by submitting fraudulent information during proceedings. Key points regarding the legal pushback include:
- Contempt Litigation: Ranganath faces 63 contempt cases, which he characterizes as a retaliatory tactic by encroachers whose interests were disrupted.
- Jurisdictional Deception: In one instance, a developer allegedly claimed ownership of a specific property while actually encroaching on 120 acres of government land elsewhere.
- Judicial Confidence: Despite the volume of lawsuits, Ranganath expressed full trust in the court system and vowed to contest each case through formal legal channels.
The Commissioner reaffirmed his commitment to government-assigned duties, stating that all agency actions over the past two years have adhered to the law. He remains focused on reclaiming public property from entities that bypass environmental and zoning permits.
Source: The Hindu — News
