Telangana accused of digging deep'

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday granted a week to TS government and authorities of irrigation department to place their stand on a petition by farmers from Yellur village in Kollapur mandal of Mahbubnagar district questioning the construction of an underground pumping station beneath their land as part of the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Shameem Akhter was hearing the farmers’ petition.

P. Shashi Kiran, counsel for the petitioners, told the court that Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd, which was executing the PRLIS, has changed the original alignment of the project that resulted in construction of pumping station beneath the lands of the petitioners. Counsel said that the farmers had the original alignment of the project.

Reacting to the submissions, the bench said that the court has no expertise to decide whether the realignment was correct or not or whether the pumping station should be above or below the ground.

While stating that they cannot run the administration from the court, the bench asked counsel to explain whether there was any violation of law.

The bench pointed out that when pipes were laid 300 feet beneath the ground, how would the lands of the petitioner be affected.

While placing two letters before the bench, counsel said that they pertain to big projects wherein it states that forest and environmental clearances are mandatory when such projects require both forest land and non-forest land.

He submitted that in one of the letters, the Ministry of environment and forests prohibited states from starting work even on non-forest land because if approval was rejected with regard to forest land required for the project.

He said that the other letter was from Telangana Forest department wherein it has clearly requested the PRLIS authorities not to commence work in non-forest land in view of the centre’s directive. The bench posted the case to next week.

HC: Put scam-hit firms’ assets online
The Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the AP government, CID authorities and petitioners to examine the possibilities of placing the list of properties of Agri Gold and Akshaya Gold Companies which are to be auctioned to make repayment to the depositors on the e-portal of the government.

A division bench comprising Justice V. Ramasubramanian and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with petitions by depositors of Agri Gold and Akshaya Gold seeking a CBI probe into the fraud committed by both the companies.

Making it clear that it would take up auction of properties worth Rs 50 crore or more, the bench told the governments to make arrangement for auctioning of properties worth less than Rs 50 crore through the e-portal.