KTR extends drive statewide

The TS government on Monday extended the demolition drive against illegal buildings to all municipal corporations and municipalities to clear encroachments on nalas and lake beds.

Municipal administration and urban development minister K.T. Rama Rao held a video conference from the Secretariat with commissioners of all municipalities on Monday and directed them to take up demolition drives to prevent Hyderabad-like floods in case of heavy rains. He asked them to begin the demolition drive with commercial buildings.

He expressed anger over the lethargy of municipal commissioners and other staff in implementing the government’s orders.

“This is the last and final warning to all commissioners, officials and other staff working in municipalities. If they continue to be negligent in discharging their duties and fail to implement the orders issued by the government, they will be sternly dealt with. The government will initiate stringent action against them within a week,” the minister said.

“Officials should immediately gather the details of all tanks and other water resources in their areas and digitise them. They should gather maps of all nalas and take up field level inspections. If they come across any illegal structures, they should demolish them immediately by invoking the municipal Act. They should set up joint working groups with officials from revenue and irrigation departments to identify encroachments. Officials should not target the poor during demolition, the exercise should begin with commercial complexes,” he said.

He directed officials to identify dilapidated buildings and demolish them at the soonest.

“If any death occurs on account of collapse of dilapidated buildings in any municipality, the respective commissioners will be held responsible,” he warned.

He said he would hold video conferences with officials of all municipalities every week and directed them to set up the facility.