VIJAYAWADA: Taking exception to its orders not implemented with regard to a case pertaining to digging up of Polavaram Project Right Main Canal earthen bund in Agirpalle, Gannavaram and Vijayawada rural mandals of Krishna district, the Andhra Pradesh High Court summoned top officials of water resources department in contempt of court case on Tuesday.
Pilli Surendrababu of Keesarapalle village in Gannvaram mandal had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court stating that illegal digging of the canal bund will weaken the Polavaram Right Main Canal.
After hearing the plea, the court directed the water resources department Principal Secretary Sasibushan Kumar and Engineer-in-Chief Narayana Reddy to initiate measures preventing the digging of the canal bund. However, no action was taken by the authorities. Following this, the petitioner filed a contempt plea in the high court.
Hearing the case, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N Jayasurya took serious exception to the non-implementation of the court orders and directed the two officials to appear before it in person.
Petitioner’s counsel had argued that taking advantage of the non-compliance of the court order, digging of the earthen bund continued unabated with the loot of mud and gravel left unchecked. He further said one person had died due to the illegal digging of the canal bund.
Meanwhile, Advocate Siva Kumar appearing for water resource department argued that there was no truth in the petitioner’s claims and that the said digging for gravel was carried out in private land abutting the canal.
He informed the court that a detailed counter with full details would be submitted and sought time for the same. Intervening at that point, the court said that the petitioner had provided photo evidence of what was happening.
It issued notices to the two senior officials of water resource department to appear before it in person and given explanation for illegal digging along Polavaram right canal bund. The hearing of the case was adjourned to June 22.