HC pulls up TS govt over twin reservoirs

Petitioner seeks to construct on his land despite GO 111

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday pulled up the state government, asking what it was doing when the high-power committee (HPC), constituted in 2016 to look into issues related to GO 111 vis-àvis the twin reservoirs Himayat Sagar and Osama Sagar, is sitting silent without submitting the reports.

The issues included the deletion of some areas from its limits, which does not fall within the 10km area close to the catchment area of the two reservoirs.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Vijaysen Reddy inquired about the existence of the highpower committee and its accomplishments so far.

The bench was dealing with a petition filed by one of the private parties, who sought a court direction to the authorities to allow him construct buildings on his land at Vatti Nagulapally village.

The bench posed a volley of questions to the government as it had shown no sense of responsibility to follow up on the issue and redress the grievances of the citizens.

“These people are suffering for decades because their lands were brought into the limits of GO 111 even as they do not come under catchment area,” the bench noted.

The bench added: “Without their fault, the aggrieved persons are suffering, but the government simply constituted the HPC and left things at that, the bench observed in a tone of indictment.” When state counsel submitted that the HPC had convened its meetings 28 times so far, Chief Justice Hima Kohli asked counsel to produce the minutes and resolutions of those meetings.

However, state counsel was unclear about it all and sought time to produce the details.

Chief Justice Kohli was irritated over the attitude of the government on this issue and observed that the bench will direct abrogation of the HPC as it was “doing nothing.”

Directing government counsel to come with a report on the present status of HPC, the court adjourned the case to August 16. The bench also made it clear that, if the government does not come forward to deal with the grievances, it will allow the victims to go further ahead in the matter.

The petitioner said he was denied permission for the construction works, by saying a particular survey number of this land came under the GO 111 limits. But, the petitioner argued that his land was just opposite to the US Consulate and on the side of the financial district.

All the lands surrounding his land were allowed to raise the buildings, he said, and asked why he is not allowed to do so.

Given the global environmental emergency, and the recent UN declaration of code red for humanity, it would be a great letdown by the system if we compromised on a GO that has been protecting our city’s green balance, as it water source and a mega lung space.

THE BENCH posed a volley of questions to the government as it had shown no sense of responsibility to follow up on the issue and redress the grievances of the citizens.

“THESE PEOPLE are suffering for decades because their lands were brought into the limits of GO 111 even as they do not come under catchment area,” the bench noted.

HOWEVER, STATE counsel was unclear about it all and sought time to produce the details.