SC refuses to hear plea against move to allot house sites for poor in Amaravati

VIJAYAWADA: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear a petition filed challenging the State government’s decision to allot house sites for the poor belonging to Krishna and Guntur districts in capital region Amaravati.

The petitioner sought stay on the GO issued by the government for allotment of house sites to the poor in the capital region. The apex court asked the petitioner what was his objection if house sites were given to the poor and refused to accept the plea. It asked the petitioner to approach the High Court. Following the refusal of the Supreme Court to hear his petition, Shiva, a farmer from capital region Amaravati and a supporter of TDP withdrew his petition.

Elaborating on the court proceedings, Additional Advocate General Ponnavulu Sudhakar Reddy and his team, who argued the case for the State government, said as per Section 53 (1) D of the APCRDA, 5% of the land pooled for the capital city has to be allocated for house sites for the poor.

“However, the previous TDP government had failed to make allotment for the same in the Master Plan for Amaravati. On the directions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has embarked on a massive housing scheme for the poor and weaker sections, the APCRDA Act was amended and the GO was issued creating R5 zone in the capital region and 75,000 poor people are to be given house sites there,” he said.  Hearing in the petition challenging the GO in the High Court was slated for April 19.