HYDERABAD: Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Thursday recalled the interim status quo order granted earlier this week in a writ petition challenging the proposed demolition of the Barrister Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus at Bandlaguda, after noting that the issue was already being examined by another bench. Meanwhile, Justice NV Shravan Kumar made it clear that protection of lakes and public water bodies transcends individual interests and falls squarely within the domain of public interest while expressing his displeasure over the continued inaction of authorities on allegations of illegal constructions within the FTL and buffer zone of Salkam Cheruvu.
Justice Vijaysen Reddy directed the Registry to tag the writ petition with the pending case relating to alleged encroachments in the FTL area of Salkam Cheruvu to avoid conflicting judicial orders. The writ petition was filed by the Salar-e-Millat Educational Trust, represented by its trustee and authorised representative, Vedyam Anand. The trust alleged that the GHMC proposed to demolish its ground-plus-seven-storey educational building on a 2,360 sq yd site at MM Colony, Keshavagiri, Bandlaguda. The court had granted an interim status quo order on July 6.
During the hearing, advocate R Vijay Gopal sought to implead himself as a respondent, informing the court that he had already filed a PIL concerning alleged encroachments and illegal constructions in the FTL and buffer zone of Salkam Cheruvu, which is pending before another bench.
Judge: Parallel proceedings on same issue can cause conflict
He submitted that the bench hearing the PIL had directed the authorities to remove illegal constructions in the FTL and buffer zone and, if necessary, shift students studying in educational institutions located there to nearby government schools.
Taking note of the submissions, Justice Vijaysen Reddy observed that permitting parallel proceedings on the same issue could result in conflicting judicial orders. The court therefore recalled its interim status quo order dated July 6 and directed that the writ petition be tagged with the pending PIL and placed before the appropriate Bench for further hearing.
The educational trust has contended that it has been operating the Barrister Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus on the property since 2015 and that its application for regularisation under the Building Regularisation Scheme, filed in 2016, is still pending. It had alleged that GHMC officials attempted to demolish the building without prior notice.