HYDERABAD: Making it clear that it expects a detailed compliance report by July 3, the Telangana High Court on Thursday expressed displeasure over what it described as “discriminatory enforcement” by authorities, questioning why action is taken swiftly against poor and middle-class households while large-scale encroachments by influential entities remain unchecked.
Hearing a writ petition on the alleged encroachment of Salakam Cheruvu, Justice NV Shravan Kumar criticised officials of GHMC, Revenue and Irrigation departments for inaction. The allegations are that the Barrister Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus was constructed on encroached lake land.
The court also expressed strong displeasure over the failure of counsel for the Education department, and those representing the Campus and Salar-e-Millat Educational Trust, to provide clear details on requisite permissions.
The court also ordered a comprehensive inquiry against all officials who held posts from the start of construction to the present, stating that action against erring officials alone would ensure accountability. Chief Secretaries of the Education, Revenue, Irrigation and Municipal Administration departments were asked to conduct a probe and submit a status report.
The court asked what steps had been taken since construction began and why no preventive or punitive action followed. Expressing dissatisfaction, the court questioned whether officials had “turned a blind eye” to the alleged illegalities over the years, allowing the institution to function.
Raising doubts over the structural integrity of the alleged illegal construction within the lake area, the court directed Revenue and Irrigation officials to conduct a joint survey to determine the FTL and buffer zone limits of Salakam Cheruvu. Authorities were instructed to identify all illegal constructions within the buffer zone after the survey and submit a comprehensive report.
The court further ordered that necessary directions be issued to HMDA for notifying the lake, with a final notification to be issued within two weeks. Referring to GHMC maps, it observed that illegal constructions appear to exist within the limits of both Suraram and Salakam lakes, and directed principal secretaries of the departments concerned to submit detailed reports.
The petition was filed by advocate R Vijay Gopal, who argued that while demolition drives are carried out against economically weaker sections, a “biased approach” is evident in cases involving politically connected entities. He stated that the campus was established in 2017 by AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi and houses a school and college.
During the hearing, the absence of government counsel initially led to adjournments. Later, government lawyers said they lacked complete instructions and did not have a copy of the petition, drawing further criticism.