TUDA Launches Operation Swarna to Revive Swarnamukhi River

Swift Summary

• Tirupati Urban Advancement Authority (TUDA) announced Operation SWARNA too clean and rejuvenate the River swarnamukhi as part of a large-scale restoration project.
• Objectives: Rescue the river from land encroachments, revive its flow area, and ensure sustainability.
• The river flows 130 km eastwards from Pakala to join the Bay of Bengal, passing through areas near Tirupati and Srikalahasti.
• A drone survey covering 50-70 km (Thondavada to Srikalahasti) will demarcate boundaries and identify encroachments.
• Task force modeled after Hyderabad’s HYDRAA will be formed under TUDA vice-Chairman; steps include prosecuting encroachers and errant officials.
• Separate departments like Irrigation, Survey, and Revenue likely brought in for coordination on this initiative.
• Chairman ‘Dollars’ C. Divakar Reddy alleged widespread fraudulent registrations during past administrations that led to occupation of water bodies by YSRCP rulers.
• Public invited to report corruption involving government officials or elected representatives concerning land irregularities.
• Additional plans involve beautification projects near religious sites such as Goddess Padmavathi Ammavari temple at Tiruchanur-aligned with making it a tourist hub.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Operation SWARNA exemplifies an organized approach to tackle water body conservation-a long-overdue need in India given growing urbanization pressures. Reviving natural resources like rivers not only ensures ecological balance but potentially mitigates risks such as flood damage caused by illegal encroachments. TUDA’s strategy using drones for mapping boundaries highlights technological integration into governance.

If implemented effectively, involving multiple departments can strengthen enforcement against corruption linked to land ownership disputes prevalent across states. Allegations targeting prior administrations could awaken larger clarity demands throughout Andhra Pradesh’s governance system without isolating specific parties.The scheme’s beautification aspect around revered religious landmarks could boost both tourism revenue and community engagement if thoughtfully executed-making environmental restoration intertwined with cultural thankfulness pivotal moving forward.

For more details on Operation Swarna updates read here.