Water Theft: Officials Receive HC Notices

Hyderabad: A bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti issued notices to top government officials in a PIL alleging theft of drinking water from an underground pipeline and directed them to respond within four weeks.

The court issued notice to Dange Singh, owner of Shilpa Water Plant, located at Kacheguda, Nimboliadda, against whom the petition was directed.

On the government side, the court issued notices to the Chief Secretary, principal secretary, municipal administration and urban development, GHMC commissioner, Hyderabad district collector, irrigation engineer-in-chief, Himayathnagar mandal revenue officer, Kacheguda police station house officer.

The bench was adjudicating a public interest litigation (PI) filed by Mohammed Salman, social worker from Osmangunj, who said the officials had not restrained Dange Singh, owner of Shilpa Water Plant, from allegedly stealing water from the underground pipeline and supplying it to hospitals on payment.

The petitioner claimed that when he had complained about the alleged illegal activity to the authorities concerned, no action had been initiated.