VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) Commissioner to maintain status quo on the construction activity taken up at the foothill of Rushikonda.The court felt that VMRDA should get permission from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest to take up any digging activity as the hill falls under the Coastal Regulatory Zone-II.
The bench of Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Rao Raghunandan Rao, gave interim orders to this effect while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jana Sena Party corporator Peetala Murthy Yadav, who sought court directions to stop the constructions that were taken up by digging Rushikonda.
Petitioner’s counsel K Srinivas Murthy argued that digging activity is being taken up against the CRZ norms and produced the photos of the works going on there.VMRDA counsel Surya Kiran said they are levelling the ground and removing bushes to provide car parking for the benefit of those visiting Tenneti Park.
At this juncture, the bench said any digging activity at the hill needs permission from the Union Ministry and sought to know whether the VMRDA took the necessary permission. Surya Kiran sought time to furnish the details of the same following which the court asked the VMRDA to file its counter in three weeks. The bench posted the matter for hearing to December 13.