HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh filed an application before Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, seeking a stay on the GO 246 issued by Telangana regarding Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS). During the cross-examination on Thursday, the AP filed the application objecting to the construction of the irrigation scheme.
Telangana raised preliminary objections about the application’s maintainability and questioned the Tribunal’s authority to hear the application in view of section 84 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. Telangana objected to the application, stating that the apex council is the appropriate forum before such a grievance should be raised. Telangana had refrained from filing similar applications before this Tribunal as it has objections to several projects undertaken by AP. Representatives of Telangana stated that AP was raising the same grievance on multiple fora like NGT and HC, Supreme Court, and Southern Zonal Council, etc., abusing the process of law.
Telangana also stated no work on the project was underway at present. The representative also recalled that in the first apex council meeting held in 2016, the Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS project was considered a project that could not be directed to be stopped.
The Tribunal issued a notice in the application after broadly recording the preliminary objection raised by CS Vaidyanathan, a senior advocate of Telangana, and granted the State four weeks to file its response. The Tribunal granted AP two weeks thereafter to file their rejoinder to the reply, if any and posted the application for arguments on January 24, 2023.