Petitions challenging Andhra Pradesh’s decision to go ahead with Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) without obtaining permissions from authorities concerned were adjourned sine die by the Telangana High Court (HC) on Tuesday.
The HC decided to adjourn the petitions till the Supreme Court (SC) decides on the case filed by the Telangana government on the issue. The bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with the petitions filed separately by Congress leader Ch Vamsi Chand Reddy and social activist G Srinivas and four others.
The petitioner alleged that the AP government is going ahead with the RLIS project without obtaining necessary permissions from either the Krishna River Water Management Board (KRMB) or TS government. They contended that the project will pose a threat to the farmers of Telangana and urged the court to issue orders restraining the AP government from finalising the project tenders. The bench found fault with the petitioners for filing these petitions before the it.
The HC said that it has no jurisdiction to adjudicate considering the fact that both States have already put forth their arguments before the National Green Tribunal, which has already passed a stay order and later modified its stay order. Besides, Telangana government also filed an interim application before the SC on the said project construction, the bench said, while seizing off the matter.