AP de-silting contract angers HC

Expressing displeasure at the authorities of AP in indiscriminately awarding de-silting of tanks, the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday ordered the Guntur district collector to file an affidavit on the alleged illegal sale of silt excavated from Puthuru tank in Guntur city.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice A. Shankar Narayana was dealing with a PIL by Ala Venkatasubbaiah and nine other agriculturists from Guntur, challenging the inaction of the authorities in taking action against Chigurupati Sajjana Rao, a local TD leader, despite several representations.

The petitioners alleged that the TD leader fraudulently obtain contract to de-silt the tank under the Water and Tree (Neeru –Chettu) programme of the government and was selling the silt without using it for the purpose prescribed under the programme and thus making money.

A. Prabhakar Rao, counsel for the petitioners, brought to the notice of the court that the government was paying the money for de-silting of tanks across the state under the Water and Tree programme.

Counsel urged the court to direct the authorities to recover the money from the TD leader and also cancel the contract awarded to him.

While directing the collector to file the affidavit, the bench issued notices to the respondents, including the TD leader and posted the case to December 20.