HC summons two officers from water resources on contempt charge

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has summoned water resources principal secretary Sasibhusan Kumar and engineer-in-chief Narayana Reddy to appear before it in person in a contempt of court case.

The case related to illegal mining on Polavaram Right Main Canal. They must be present at the next hearing on Oct. 22, the summons said.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prashant Mishra and Justice N. Jayasurya heard the contempt of court petition here on Tuesday.

Petitioner P Surendra Babu’s counsel Maheswara Rao pointed out that despite the court’s earlier orders not to allow illegal mining of gravel/soil on Polavaram RMC, this was going on, and a person died due to such illegal mining activity.

The government pleader submitted to the court that there was no truth in the contention of the petitioner and soil was being mined from the private lands adjacent to the Polavaram RMC.

The court observed that it was satisfied with the proofs submitted by the petitioner on illegal mining activity. Hence, it issued an order to summon the senior officers to come and explain as to why there was a failure on their part to implement the court order.

The petitioner’s contention was that illegal mining for gravel and soil was being carried out in parts of Gannavaram and Agiripalli mandals on Polavaram RMC falling under the erstwhile Krishna district.