HYDRAA Clears Septic Tank Encroachments, Fences Four Acres of Govt Land in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: HYDRAA said it had removed encroachments around septic tanks and secured nearly four acres of government land in Shilpa Brundavan Colony, near Alvin Colony Circle in the Kukatpally zone on Thursday. It said encroachers had occupied open spaces earmarked around septic tanks — areas originally meant for planting greenery to reduce odour — by converting them into private plots.

Following the introduction of underground drainage systems, such vacant parcels are typically reserved for parks or public use. According to HYDRAA, residents complained that one Y.V. Rao had encroached upon the septic tank area and the adjacent open land. They alleged that in collusion with Shilpa Developers, unauthorised plots were laid out on adjoining government land under the pretext of private ownership, with roads demarcated and even existing layout boundaries altered.

Acting on the complaint, HYDRAA, revenue and GHMC teams conducted a field inspection on the directions of HYDRAA commissioner A.V. Ranganath. The inspection confirmed encroachments spanning about 20 guntas around the septic tank area. On Thursday, HYDRA erected fencing around the unauthorised layout to prevent further illegal activity.

Credai to hold its property show from February 6 to 8

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (Credai) will hold its property show on February 6, 7 and 8 at Hitex in Hitec City. The theme is 'Permanent Ho Jao', encouraging homebuyers to invest in housing in Hyderabad and consider long-term settlement in the city.

The show will feature only projects approved by the Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TGRERA ) from Credai-Hyderabad member developers. Residential and commercial projects such as apartments, villas, plotted developments, and office spaces will be showcased, a statement said.

According to Credai-Hyderabad members, the show will highlight planned urban development, with dedicated zones for families, senior citizens, and visitors.

Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao is scheduled to inaugurate the show. Credai-Hyderabad president N. Jaideep Reddy, president-elect B. Jagannath Rao and general secretary K. Kranti Kiran Reddy will brief the media.

BIE grants extension of provisional affiliation to eligible colleges for 2026-27

The Board of Intermediate Education has granted an extension of provisional affiliation to eligible colleges for 2026-27, instructing them to ensure that they meet all academic, administrative and infrastructural requirements during the extended period. The order stated that the provisional affiliation did not confer permanent status and would remain valid only for the specified academic year.

Institutions must continue to obtain necessary approvals from regulatory councils wherever applicable and adhere to admission norms, faculty requirements and examination guidelines.

Authorities also cautioned that failure to comply with the stipulated conditions could lead to withdrawal of affiliation or other action as deemed appropriate under the rules. The extension is intended to ensure continuity in academic activities and safeguard the interests of students enrolled in the institutions for 2026–27.

Teachers assemble in New Delhi to oppose SC’s TET order

Teachers from multiple states assembled in New Delhi on Thursday to oppose the Supreme Court’s order last year on Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), which unions said endangers the service continuity of in-service teachers and departed from the protections that had existed since the Right to Education Act came into force.

The protest was led by All India Joint Action Committee of Teachers’ Organisations, at Jantar Mantar. The protest brought together national-level teachers’ unions from the school education sector for the first time in a joint struggle.

The judgment requires in-service teachers of Classes I to VIII who have more than five years of service left to clear the TET within two years, failing which they face removal from service. Teachers with five years or less remaining before retirement were exempt, but would not be considered for promotions without the qualification.

According to the unions, the SC order ran counter to the National Council for Teacher Education (NTCE) notification issued on August 23, 2010. That notification made TET mandatory only for teachers appointed after the cut-off date and exempted all in-service teachers. State governments followed this rule for nearly 15 years.

The unions blamed the NCTE for failing to place these facts clearly before the Supreme Court. They pointed to what they described as anomalies in the ruling, including the five-year remaining service cut-off and the possibility of termination if a teacher misses the two-year deadline even by a single day.

AIJACTO called upon the Centre to step in by amending the RTE Act and filing a review or curative petition before the Supreme Court to protect in-service teachers.

Teachers also reiterated their call for restoration of the Old Pension Scheme and rejection of the Unified Pension Scheme, continuing a campaign that began more than two decades ago against the New Pension Scheme.

Unions opposed provisions of the NEP 2020 that they say encourage commercialisation and centralisation of education, making schooling harder to access for poor families.

Participants demanded an immediate stop to the closure and merger of government schools, citing figures that show more than one lakh schools shut in the last five years. Other demands included voting rights for primary teachers in MLC elections, reduction of income tax on salaried employees, and regularisation of temporary staff along with minimum wages.

Members of Parliament from multiple parties addressed the teachers and assured them of support. CPM floor leader John Brittas, CPI MP Selvaraj, CPM MP V. Sivadasan, Congress MP Kumar Naik and others said they would raise the concerns in Parliament.