HYDERABAD: A division bench of Telangana High Court on Monday directed the State government not to cut down the trees on 100 acres of land allotted for the purpose of establishing the National Prison Academy (NPA) at Kotharepally village, Damagundam forest area in Vikarabad district, until the next date of hearing and adjourned the PIL till after the summer vacation.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili heard the PIL filed by the Damagundam Forest Protection JAC, a registered society represented by its president Lingoji Muralidhar Rao.
The PIL challenged the action of officials in cutting down trees on the said land for establishing the National Prison Academy and Prisons Reform Centre. After going through the contentions of the petitioner, the HC bench observed that it was unfortunate that the State had not filed its reply despite being issued a notice on January 25, 2022.