Justice CV Nagarjuna Reddy of the High Court on Friday ordered issuance of notice to the AP Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) and the state government on a petition filed by the Sriramagiri Spinning Mills, Nalgonda challenging the restrictions imposed on power consumption and imposition of penal charges 3 to 5 times the normal tariff for consuming the agreed and contracted electricity. The judge granted two weeks’ time to the respondents to file their counter affidavits.
Senior counsel S Ramachandra Rao, appearing for the petitioner, argued that spinning mills were being penalised for the government’s failure.
The power distribution company had agreed to supply required quantum of power to the industry in 2007 but, in the name of ‘power holiday’, it was not supplying electricity officially for three days in a week apart from during the weekend. In fact, there is no power supply to the industries and in the remaining days there is power cut during peak hours i.e. from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm.
“There is total destruction of all industrial establishments in the state and all micro, small, medium and heavy industries which availed bank loans are being declared as defaulters and non-performing assets by banks, RBI and other financial institutions, he said.
Orders on Somasekhara Bail Plea on Sept 25
The High Court on Friday reserved its orders to September 25 on the bail petition of Gali Somasekhar Reddy, Bellary City MLA and brother of former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, in the cash-for-bail scam.
Justice Samudrala Govindarajulu heard the arguments of the counsels of ACB and Somasekhar Reddy.
ACB’s counsel opposed the bail petition, saying evidence was likely to be tampered with and witnesses influenced if the accused was released on bail as he had money and muscle power and political clout.
Somasekhar’s counsel said there was only circumstancial evidence in the case.
Meher Baba Trust Chief’s Plea Dismissed
A division bench of the High Court on Friday enhanced the costs imposed on the chairman of Avtar Meher Baba Trust of Karimnagar from Rs 15,000 to Rs 51,000, and directed that it be spent for upkeep of the local welfare hostel for BC girls.
The bench, comprising acting chief justice PC Ghose and justice Vilas V Afzulpurkar, dismissed an appeal by trust chairman D Prabhakar Rao challenging the dismissal of his plea a by a single judge by imposing costs.
The trust chairman said the government was not acting on his representation that government lands in Survey No. 6 at Tellekunta village in the district were being encroached.
The bench, refusing to quash the single judge’s order, chided the petitioner and enhanced the costs for complaining that the report of the revenue authorities that the land belonged to private persons was sworn to by a low- ranking officer when it was actually sworn to by the district collector.