Relief for HYDRAA Chief as HC Stays Order

In a relief to Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday temporarily suspended its single judge’s order, directing the state government to remove him from the post and appoint another officer in his place.

Ranganath had filed a petition challenging the single judge’s order of July 27.

The petition came up for hearing before a division bench with former Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Rajiv Shakdher appearing for Ranganath.

After hearing the initial arguments, the bench temporarily suspended the single judge’s order.

Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti on July 27 had directed the Chief Secretary to relieve Ranganath as HYDRAA Commissioner and appoint a suitable replacement.

The order came on a contempt petition filed by Shanta Sriram Constructions Private Limited, which alleged that HYDRAA officials violated court orders and entered its 40-acre land in Lothkunta with 50 vehicles and 200 personnel.

The court had observed that Ranganath had become a "law unto himself" and that HYDRAA was acting beyond its mandate, bypassing revenue, irrigation and GHMC departments.

At an earlier hearing, the court had severely reprimanded the HYDRAA Commissioner, warning that it could direct the army to take him into custody and place him in the army barracks for repeatedly violating court orders.

The Commissioner was directed to issue an affidavit, explicitly apologising for HYDRAA men and machinery entering and fencing the disputed property without the petitioner’s permission.

As the affidavit was not filed and the officer did not turn up for hearing, Justice Jukanti took serious objection and directed the government to remove Ranganath as HYDRAA Commissioner.

The court noted that as many as 63 contempt petitions had been pending against Ranganath within a period of about one-and-a-half years.

Following the order, Ranganath said he would contest all 63 contempt cases filed against him through legal means and expressed full faith in the judiciary. He alleged that all cases were filed by influential encroachers affected by HYDRAA's drive to protect lakes and government lands.

Ranganath alleged that land mafias and encroachers were misleading the courts with false information. “Regardless of the responsibilities entrusted to me by the government, I am committed to delivering 100 per cent results, and I will continue to do so,” he said.

Ranganth, an Indian Police Service (IPS) official, has been heading HYDRAA since the agency was formed two years ago by the state government.

During the last two years, HYDRAA claims to have saved 3,315 acres of government land worth a whopping Rs.1.5 lakh crore and restored several water bodies.

The agency said that it reclaimed and protected lakes, nalas, parks, government lands, and blue-green resources.

The functioning of HYDRAA has come under criticism from opposition parties, who accused the agency of bulldozing the houses of poor on government land.