Awaiting Panel's Report to Amend GO 111, Telangana Government Tells HC

HYDERABAD: The state government on Friday told the Telangana High Court that it would adhere to GO Ms. No. 111, the order that protects the Himayatsagar and the Osmanagar, till the specially constituted body of experts, as per GO 69, submits its report on the matter.

Additional Advocate-Aeneral (AAG) J. Ramachandra Rao gave the assurance when the court was hearing arguments in the batch of petitions and PILs challenging the government's decision to scratch GO 111. Some of the petitions have been pending since 2007.

The division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar recorded the AAG’s oral undertaking and directed the government not to take any action that violates GO 111. The court adjourned the case to eight weeks.

The AAG said that GO 111 was issued in 1996 prohibiting polluting establishments in the catchment area of the two drinking water reservoirs. But, with alternatives provided to Hyderabad city's drinking water supply, the two lakes were no longer the source of drinking water.

Senior counsel L. Ravichander objected to this. He requested the court to record the oral undertaking of the AAG so that the government would await the recommendations of the committee. The bench also heard senior counsel K.S. Murthy and directed the government to act in compliance with the ban on constructions in the 10 km radius of the two water reservoirs.