HC Takes on File Plaint About Sound Pollution Caused by Metro Trains

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday took on file a PIL complaining of notice pollution at the metro station in Bhoiguda. Dr. G. Hanumanlu, a resident of Secunderabad addressed the letter to the Chief Justice of India complaining about the noise generated by moving metro trains at the curved portion of the track near metro pillar No B-1006, New Bhoiguda. It is stated in the letter that frequency of the noise has increased so much that it is posing a real threat to human life. He pointed out that excess noise may cause temporary or permanent hearing loss in addition to annoyance and irritation, noise constricts the arteries and increases the flow of adrenaline and forces the heart to work faster and thereby increases the rate of cardiac ailments such as heart attacks. He further pointed out that such noise can lead to high blood pressure, which increases the cholesterol levels in the body and causes stress, anxiety and tension, which leads to hormonal imbalance and causes many diseases. It was also informed that a team from HMRL, consisting of deputy chief engineer, deputy executive engineer and train track leader visited the premises near New Bhoiguda metro on Corridor II JBS-MGBS and recorded the screeching sounds and noise generated by moving metro trains on March 6 midnight. It was stated that they have recorded sound levels with three different sound measuring meters inside and outside of the flat in MNK Vittal central court apartment when there was no train on the track and when a train was moving on the track. The maximum sound level recorded in their residential apartment during midnight hours when the train was moving on the track was 80 decibels. The panel after perusing the material said that there is an absolute need to mitigate the noise generated by metro trains at the curved portion of the track. When Radhive Reddy, counsel for HMRL, pointed out that maintenance of the station under the concessionaire agreement vests with Larsen and Toubro, the Chief Justice said that parties must stop adapting an adversarial approach in PIL cases, He said that the way ahead was in finding solutions and not in finding faults against one another. The panel adjourned the matter by six weeks for the respondent authorities’ reply and also impleaded Larsen and Toubro as party to the list.

HC reserves verdict on GHIAL’s plea on registration charge:

Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the Telangana High Court reserved its verdict in a writ plea filed by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) and another challenging levy of five times registration fee for registering conveyance deed and sub-lease deed. Earlier, it was submitted to the court that the petitioners had made an application on May 5, 2021, to the commissioner and IG (registration & stamps) requesting him to waive the penalty, and in turn he addressed a letter to the chief secretary on June 18, 2021. It was further stated that pending consideration of the said application, the official respondents may be directed to register and release the documents submitted by the petitioners and that in case the application of the petitioners is rejected, or the present writ petition is dismissed, the petitioners undertake to pay the penalty as levied by the sub-registrar office at Shamshabad. Accordingly, it was directed to register and release the documents as per the provisions of the Indian Registration Act, 1908, and Indian Stamps Act, 1899 and the rules made thereunder. However, it was made clear that such registration and release shall be subject to the final orders likely to be passed in this writ petition. Senior counsel S. Niranjan Reddy appearing on behalf of petitioner on Wednesday argued that in September, the government halted the registrations because of updates to the Dharani portal and later there was Covid-19 pandemic. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court gave directions to relax the limitations and prayed for allowing the petition. After hearing the parties, the judge reserved its verdict.

HC dismisses plea against surrender of gun license:

A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court dismissed a PIL challenging an order of the commissioner of police, Rachakonda Commissionerate, Neredmet, directing to deposit his weapon prior to the General Election 2024. The panel, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Anil Kumar, was dealing with a PIL filed by Dr. D.V. Rao, a practicing advocate of the High Court. Earlier, the panel had directed police commissioner to produce minutes of a meeting of the screening committee for surrendering licensed arms because of the election code. The petitioner contended that the commissioner had issued proceedings without following the due process and directed the petitioner to surrender the licensed weapon before elections. The petitioner contended that ever since 2014 he has been exempted from surrendering the license since he does not fall under the category which is mandated to surrender the gun license. Avinash Desai, senior counsel appearing on behalf of the Election Commission of India (ECI), contended that guidelines have been issued for surrendering the gun license and within the city limits, the commissioner gave instructions pertaining to the same. He further contended that ECI issued consolidated instructions containing the measures relating to law and order for conducting peaceful, free and fair elections to the Lok Sabha. The senior counsel further contended that taking in account the recommendation of the screening committee made on March 19, order was passed on April 04 directing him to deposit his weapon. The bench accordingly dismissed the PIL observing that the order passed by the authorities does not call for any interference.

HC to look into allegations of illegal constructions at Lanco Hills:

Justice T. Vinod Kumar of the Telangana High Court will examine the allegations of illegal and unauthorized construction by the managing committee of Lanco Hills Residents Owners Welfare Association [LHROWS]. The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by P. Anil Kumar Reddy and eight others. It is the case of the petitioner that the managing committee of LHROWS had taken up some illegal and unauthorized construction at Lanco Hills Residential Towers Manikonda, Hyderabad and the respondent authorities failed to take action against the same. It is contended by the petitioner that representations were addressed to the authorities in February, which fetched no results. Earlier the judge had ordered notices to the authorities to respond to the said plea. On Wednesday, the judge deferred the hearing for the standing counsel to seek instructions.