Crusher unit of MLA’s wife: HC issues notices to TSPCB, mining officials

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday issued notices to the TS Pollution Control Board, mining department and government authorities to respond to a petition complaining that they had violated rules and regulations in allowing a stone crusher to be set up by TRS legislator Ravindra Kumar’s wife.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy, was dealing with a petition filed by one Kadari Anjaiah, who complained that Shyamala Ramavath, wife of the Devarakonda MLA, had proposed setting up a stone crusher unit less than 500 metres from Gajinagar village and water bodies. The site is just a few kilometres from Devarakonda.

Citing Supreme Court guidelines in ‘Mohd. Haroon Ansari and another v district collector, Ranga Reddy district, and others,. where it specifically laid down norms, the petitioner sought the court`s intervention as the authorities had overlooked rules and had given permission to her to establish the unit.

He also brought to the notice of the court that TSPCB and mining officials had reportedly conducted a survey on the site, following several grievances by the villagers. But their report falsely claimed that the survey was taken up in the presence of villagers and that the crusher unit was one km away from the village.

The petitioner urged the court to direct authorities to re-conduct a survey in the presence of villagers.

After hearing the contentions of Pannala Srinivas, counsel for the petitioner, the court directed the concerned authorities to respond to the petition by December 29.