HYDERABAD: Expressing displeasure with the inaction of the authorities concerned regarding completion of door to door socio-economic survey in Thogutta and other villages in Siddipet district, the Green bench of Telangana High Court on Friday directed the state government to stop works for one week in the villages of Thogutta, Yetigadda Kistapur, Pallepahad and Vemulaghat relating to Mallanna Sagar reservoir which was part of mammoth Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. Further, the court directed the government to restore the power supply in the above four villages.
The bench comprising Justice A Rajasheker Reddy and Justice P Naveen Rao was passing this interim order in petitions filed challenging the decision of the authorities in dispossessing them from their lands without payment of compensation under the rehabilitation and resettlement package of Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
When the matter came up for hearing, the petitioners’ counsel told the court that the authorities have failed to complete the survey despite the court order and undertaking given by the state. As per the court order, socio economic survey was to be taken up in the subject villages. The officials have even failed to respond to the complaints made by the villagers on the issue. Instead the authorities have resorted to stop power supply resulting in severe inconvenience to the locals, he noted.
On the other hand, the government counsel submitted that the survey was in progress and sought some more time for its completion. In fact, only few of the families have not received compensation, the counsel added.Reacting to this submission, the bench said it was not proper to suffer the people of entire village if there were only few members who have not received compensation.