HYDERABAD: In a relief to some of the farmers who have not given consent for land pooling under the AP CRDA Act, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday made it clear that the farmers who filed the petition for relief can continue with their agricultural operations in their lands located in the capital region of Andhra Pradesh. It, however, prohibited them from alienating or mortgaging their lands to a third party.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar was dealing with a writ petition filed by K Chalapathi Rao and six other agriculturists from Guntur district and the National Alliance of People’s Movements, an organisation represented by B Ramakrishnam Raju of the city, who challenged the constitutional validity of the CRDA Act.
The bench felt that there is no need for the said organisation to be a petitioner in the case when the affected farmers are before the court. It ordered for deletion of the seventh petitioner.
Additional advocate general Dammalapati Srinivas submitted to the court that the petitioners’ lands shall not be disturbed except as provided under the law. The authorities would not interfere in the petitioners’ agricultural activities, he added.
While taking note of the submission of the additional advocate general, the bench made it clear that the petitioners shall continue with their agricultural operations and shall not put the land for other uses.
While posting the case after summer vacation for final hearing, the bench issued notices to the AP government authorities for filing counter affidavits.