Telangana HC Orders Govt To Give Clarity on Pharma City Plans

 Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday gave a last chance to the principal secretary, revenue, to inform the court about whether or not the state government intended to go ahead with the proposed Pharma City in Yacharam mandal of Rangareddy district. If the government withdrew the proposal, what would it do with the land that had been acquired from the farmers, the court asked.

The principal secretary, revenue, has to submit the details to the court by September 20.

Justice K. Lakshman of the Telangana High Court was dealing with a petition filed by farmers of Medipally of Yacharam mandal , who complained that the revenue authorities were creating impediments while accessing their land.

In 2023, the High Court had issued orders setting aside the notification issued for land acquisition for the Pharma City. Despite this, the landowners said, the authorities were not allowing them to enter land details in the revenue records and therefore depriving them of access to agriculture input and credit support as well as full ownership rights.

Ch. Ravi Kumar, counsel for the petitioners, on Friday brought to the notice of the court the press statements of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy stating that the Pharma City would not be set up. He also showed election manifesto of the Congress which had promised cancellation of the Pharma City plan of the BRS government.

Government special counsel Adepu Divya submitted that the officials had instructed her that in the place of Pharma City, a life sciences park would be set up. The court directed the revenue principal secretary to submit the stand in the counter-affidavit.