Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Saturday instructed the police department not to obstruct the petitioners from accessing their agricultural lands in Gudatipally village, Akkannapet mandal in Siddipet district where construction of the Gouravelli irrigation project is underway.
Justice Reddy was hearing a lunch motion petition filed by Boini Bhaskar and three others from Gudatipally, who told the court that a large police force in the area surrounding Gudatipally village has been deployed, allowing the contractors and irrigation department officials to complete the construction work of the entire bund portion of the project.
Ch. Ravi Kumar, counsel for the petitioners, informed the court that the Irrigation officials and contractors were proceeding with the construction work of the Gouravelli reservoir without obtaining the necessary statutory permissions, in clear violation of previous orders of the court. Ravi Kumar also informed the court that the police have closed the route from Husnabad to Ramavaram and that the villagers were not permitted to work in their fields to earn a living.
Special GP Sanjeev Kumar contested these contentions and told the court that the government was a farmer-friendly government and that the compensation promised to land losers has already been paid.
Issuing instructions to the Police department not to obstruct the villagers, the court adjourned the hearing to March 31.