HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court, in a hearing presided over by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Srinivas Rao on Tuesday noting that the case has been pending since 2005, directed the Additional Advocate General to provide an update on whether industrial units manufacturing sponge iron in agricultural fields in Mahbubnagar are still operational.
The court was responding to a writ petition filed by T Veerander Reddy and others, challenging the government’s decision to allow private industrial units to establish sponge iron manufacturing facilities in agricultural lands across several villages in Mahbubnagar.
The petitioners argued that these industrial units were set up in agricultural fields in Ippalapally, Papireddyguda, Seriguda, Madhirapur, Farooqnagar, Kodicharla, Teegapur, Gundlapatlapally, Rangareddyguda, and Appajipally Thanda villages without obtaining the necessary permissions under the Air and Water Pollution Acts.
The court adjourned the matter to the week commencing September 2, 2024, awaiting the update.