Special wing to save govt land from squatters in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: After proposing a Greater City Corporation by merging 21 municipalities and seven municipal corporations within the outer ring road in Hyderabad Metropolitan Region (HMR), the state govt is now contemplating setting up a ‘govt assets protection and disaster management’ wing.
The proposed wing will be headed by an inspector general rank officer to protect vacant govt land and lakes in HMR.
A proposal is being readied by the govt to give powers to the new wing to act against land grabbers and those who try to encroach upon lakes by sending them to jail and imposing hefty penalties.
Sources said the govt is worried over the negative impact of encroachments in civic bodies in Greater Hyderabad and with GHMC and HMDA hamstrung by jurisdictional issues, the role of the new wing assumes much importance.
A senior official of municipal administration department said: “GHMC’s role is confined to looking into illegal constructions. Though HMDA enforcement wing demolishes illegal layouts and buildings in its jurisdiction, again its role is limited. In places like Kuntloor and Thatti Annaram in Hayathnagar mandal, the revenue department could not stop encroachments as it has no special enforcement wing.”
Special wing to help in disaster management duties
The revenue officials had to depend on police to remove the encroachments. It is in this context the new wing will have a bigger role to play in enforcing and stopping encroachments," the official added.
The municipal administration department is also working out on the police force required for the new wing. Since it will be headed by an IG rank officer, two SPs, deputy SPs and dedicated cops will be deputed to the wing.
The proposed wing will also discharge disaster management wing duties like helping the civic bodies during heavy floods, major fire accidents and any other emergency situation. The govt wants to provide special fund to the wing along with vehicles and equipment to deal with any exigency, sources said.
Official sources said the proposed wing will check govt land encroachments, disputed land where the govt has interest and protect lakes and public parks. A committee with senior officials of GHMC, HMDA, revenue, irrigation, panchayat raj and police departments on the lines of lake protection committee will be constituted to look into the encroachments and suggest immediate action. The committee will hold monthly meetings to discuss if any major encroachments are reported in their jurisdiction.
Sources said chief minister A Revanth Reddy had asked the officials to iron out the new wing proposal while chairing a review meeting on municipal administration a couple of weeks ago. Since the city is expanding all the way up to the regional ring road, there should be a separate wing to protect govt assets and lands, he had told the officials at the meeting.
The govt has recently posted senior IPS officer KV Ranganath as enforcement, vigilance and disaster management (EV&DM) commissioner in GHMC. Until recently, EV&DM was headed by an SP rank officer, which is now upgraded to IG level.