Hyderabad: Controversy over the construction of a hospital on temple land came up for judicial scrutiny before the Telangana High Court. Justice K. Lakshman took on file a writ plea challenging the inaction of various civic and revenue authorities, including the commissioner of Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation, vice-chairman of Kakatiya Urban Development Authority, district collector, tahsildar and revenue divisional officer of Hanamkonda district for turning a blind eye to unauthorized construction by GM Infrastructure company constructing Maxwell Ekashila Hospital buildings over Sharabalingam Bala Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple land. Chikati Raju, convener of Kakatiya Varasthva Sampada Parirakshana committee at Warangal district, filed the petition. He alleged that an extent of 27 guntas of the temple land situated at survey no. 1145, Hanamkonda village was encroached upon by the GM Infrastructure. A letter bringing to notice the extent of encroachment was sent by the petitioner to the respective authorities in March, 2019. Based on that letter, the district collector of Hanamkonda ordered an inquiry. Since no significant action was taken against the encroachers, he filed the present writ plea. After taking notice of the said matter, the judge directed the respondent counsel to seek necessary instructions from the respondent authorities and respond to the same.
Settle bills of civil contractor: HC in contempt case
Justice Surepalli Nanda of the Telangana High Court directed compliance of the earlier orders by the court directing the chief engineer, tribal welfare department, to pay for the construction of the youth training centre in Adilabad. The payment should include the principal amount along with 18 per cent annual interest. The order came to be passed at the instance of B. Sanjeeva Reddy, the contractor who was sanctioned the said work and had completed the construction of the centre at Bellampalli village in Adilabad district for `30 lakh. Approximately `20 lakh was retained for clearances by the respondent authorities. On not receiving the payment even after completion of works, the petitioner approached the civil court for recovery of the amount. During trial of the civil suit, the respondent authorities admitted to the balance amounts that had to be paid to the petitioner, who approached the High Court seeking a direction for the release of those funds in his favour. In August, 2021 the court ordered the authorities to comply with the balance payment along with an annual interest of 18 per cent. The petitioner alleged that even after a lapse of almost three years, the balance amounts had not been paid to him and the order of the High Court was not complied with. After hearing both the parties, the judge ordered compliance of the orders of the High Court to release the amount to the petitioner within four weeks and posted the contempt case for further adjudication.
Garbage dumping in Tolichowki gets HC attention
Justice T. Vinod Kumar of the Telangana High Court took on file a writ plea challenging the inaction of GHMC authorities against Malik Suzuki (business), owned and operated by Elegant Auto India Pvt. Ltd., Tolichowki for blocking public roads by dumping garbage in Ward No. 94 at Janakinagar, Tolichowki. Taquiuddin Mir Fazal Mohiuddin, the petitioner, wrote letters to the GHMC about the unauthorised dumping activities. The petitioner alleged that the letters went unheeded and no response or relief was forthcoming from the civic body. The judge while taking notice of the matter questioned the respondent authorities whether or not necessary action was taken against the business for dumping waste illegally in an unauthorised zone. The corporation’s zonal commissioner and its assistant city planner were directed to appraise the court about the action taken by them to stop dumping of garbage by the outlet on the next date of hearing. Notices were also issued to the business owner.
HC to examine grounds for denying promotion to municipal engineer
The Telangana High Court will examine the action of the state authorities in refusing promotion to an employee on the ground that he was facing disciplinary proceedings. On Wednesday, Justice Pulla Karthik took on file a writ plea challenging the actions of the principal secretary, MA&UD and others in not promoting an assistant executive engineer to the post of deputy executive engineer. The judge was hearing a writ plea filed by B. Venkataramana, working as an assistant executive engineer in Ameenpur municipality. The petitioner alleged that the respondent authorities were not considering his promotion due to pending departmental proceedings against him. The petitioner further alleged that withholding his promotion was illegal and in violation of the GOs issued by the respondents and as such, he was entitled to promotion without reference to pending proceedings against him. After hearing the petitioner, the judge passed an interim order directing the respondent authorities to consider the representation of the petitioner and pass appropriate orders and also directed the government pleader to get instructions.
