HYDERABAD: The High Court of Telangana has directed the state government to submit a detailed report on the measures taken to protect the Kaleshwaram project while dealing with a PIL filed in 2020 by one Dr Cheruku Sudhakar, alleging that the government had failed to take adequate measures under the Disaster Management Act.
On Tuesday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin resumed hearing the case. The petitioner’s counsel argued that under Section 39 of the Disaster Management Act, the government is required to take long-term measures for flood prevention.
He said that though the court in September 2023 had directed the government to submit a report on the steps taken to safeguard the project, its order was not complied with.
He alleged that despite the government’s assurance that it would submit the report as soon as it received inputs from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), nearly two years had passed without compliance. He warned that another major flood could severely impact Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts, putting inhabited areas at risk of submersion.
Special government pleader Pottigari Sridhar Reddy, representing the state, sought additional time to file the report and provide updated details. Accepting the request, the bench adjourned the hearing to August 28.
Notification for APP posts in 2 weeks, court informed
The state government on Tuesday informed the High Court that it will issue a notification within two weeks to fill 118 Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) posts across the state.
The court adjourned the matter to September 2 and directed the government’s counsel to present the notification details before the next date of hearing.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin was hearing a PIL filed by Boddupalli Srinivasulu of Ramanthapur, alleging delays in issuing the recruitment notification even though the Finance Department had granted approval in June to fill the 118 APP posts under the Directorate of Prosecutions, with recruitment to be conducted by the State Level Police Recruitment Board.
Out of a total of 262 vacant APP posts, permission was granted to fill 118.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate G Jitender Reddy argued that it had been nearly two months since the finance clearance was granted, yet no notification was issued.
Additional government pleader D Surendra Kumar, representing the state, assured the court that the notification would be issued within two weeks.