HYDERABAD: A public interest litigation was filed in the High Court with a request to suspend orders issued by the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board in respect of hike in water tariff.
Last November the board took a decision to increase water tariff with effect from Dec 1, 2011.
The petitioner— Forum for Good Governance prayed that the court issue an order declaring the decision taken by the water board as arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.
Secretary to municipal and urban development, vice-chairman and managing director of HMWSSB, GHMC commissioner and APCPDCL CMD were made as respondents.
While disputing with reasons for increase in tariff, the petitioner said that there was no need to hike water tariff if the dues to a tune of `472 crore which include `172 crore from government departments and `300 crore from private establishments were collected by the board
GHMC Directed to Halt Constructions Near Lakes
HYDERABAD: A division bench of the High Court comprising justices VVS Rao and G Krishna Mohan Reddy on Thursday directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to withhold grant of permission for residential and commercial purposes or for other institutions within the vicinity of the lakes.
The bench was dealing with a petition filed by an environmentalist and former professor of Osmania University complaining of large-scale encroachments on lakes and pollution.
The petitioner contended that the civic authorities were turning a blind eye to the complaint.
Justice VVS Rao directed the state government, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority and the AP Pollution Control Board to file reports on the schedule of erection of fences around various lakes in the city.
Police and revenue authorities should ensure that all construction activity within the buffer zone was strictly protected, the judge said.