AP HC directs CRDA to conduct gram sabhas by 12 noon today

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) commissioner and special officers of gram panchayats to conduct gram sabhas before 12 noon on Friday.

A single-judge bench headed by Justice D Ramesh heard petitions filed by the Amaravati farmers challenging the notices issued by special officers of Mandadam and Lingayapalem gram panchayats, seeking objections on the modifications to the Amaravati Master Plan for creation of a new zone called R-5 for providing houses to the people belonged to the economically weaker sections.

Petitioners’ counsel argued that the gram panchayats’ special officers failed to conduct gram sabhas to get the opinions of the villagers pertaining to the modifications to the master plan of Amaravati. Counsel prayed to the court to issue directions to the special officers to conduct gram sabhas and send the resolutions passed in them to the CRDA commissioner.

It was informed to the court that the last date for submission of objections on the master plan modification was fixed for Nov. 11. After hearing both the parties, the court issued directions to conduct gram sabhas.