HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Monday expressed its discontent on not getting the requisite information it had sought from the HMDA on the extent of parcels of lands spread across in Kokapet and the adjoining Vattinagulapally, which fall under the non-catchment area of reservoirs. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijayasen Reddy adjourned the hearing on a PIL to Tuesday for further hearing.
The information the Chief Justice had asked was: “What is the extent of area which is covered by the noncatchment area in terms of the EPTRI report?” Expressing its displeasure, the bench directed the Additional Advocate General (AG) J Ramchander Rao and senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy, appearing for the HMDA (Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority), to inform by Tuesday as to what was the total extent of land which fell under the non-catchment area.
The High Court bench was adjudicating two writ petitions and one PIL on this issue, filed by Dr S Jeevanan Reddy, seeking a direction to protect catchment areas in and around the Himayathsagar and Osmansagar lakes, up to 10 km from the FTL (full tank level) as the GO 111 mandates, and not permit constructions within the catchment area.
Though the Additional AG informed the bench that a total extent of 948 acres of land in the Vattinagulapally village fell under the non-catchment area, the bench was not convinced with the verbal contentions of the Additional AG and directed him to furnish the requisite information. On the other hand, Niranjan Reddy informed the court that the lands admeasuring Ac. 49- 94 adjoining the Kokapet Lake, which were recently put to auction, had been accorded administrative sanction and works had been grounded.
Infra being built, says HMDA counsel
HMDA counsel Niranjan Reddy informed the court that the area is all earmarked and all necessary steps are being taken to put in place necessary infrastructure to take care of the sewage and storm water. In earlier hearings, the bench had directed the Telangana government and the HMDA to furnish the records, including note files, showing creation of sewage and stormwater facilities for lands which were auctioned recently in Kokapet.
Another writ petition filed by Forum for Better Hyderabad and Omim Maneckshaw Debara contends that their lands are admittedly far from Osmansagar and as per the EPTRI report, the lands are under the non-catchment areas, but still they are restrained from taking up any constructions.
Further, a PIL filed by BJP leader M Vijayashanthi Sukla seeks a direction to suspend GO Ms. No 13 issued by the Industries and Commerce Department dated June 10, 2021, through which the State had issued a notification for outright sale of land parcels available at Khanamet village in Serilingampally mandal of Rangareddy district for the purpose of generating a revenue of `50,000 crore.