Hyderabad: Representatives from several districts of Telangana have urged the State Government to expand the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) across the state to protect lakes, nalas, parks and government lands from encroachments. Appeal given to HYDRAA chiefThe representatives, who met HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath, IPS, in Hyderabad on Tuesday, extended their support to the agency and called for stronger measures to protect public and environmental assets across Telangana. Had an institution like HYDRAA been established two decades ago, the chain of lakes in Hyderabad could have been better protected, they observed. Need to prevent encroachments state-wideThe representatives stressed that the problems witnessed in Hyderabad should not be repeated in other towns and districts. Flooding witnessed in Warangal, Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts last year, they said, highlighted the need to protect water bodies and flood channels from encroachment.