Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday pulled up GHMC officials for allowing illegal constructions and involving themselves behind the scenes to get those regularised by courts. The High Court observed that GHMC personnel were the main culprits behind illegal constructions obtaining electricity and water connections and being regularised.
The court asked GHMC counsel why the corporation was not working towards preventing builders from securing favourable orders.
Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with a batch of petitions seeking a direction to the electricity department to provide connections to buildings at various localities without insisting on the occupancy certificate.
Upon inquiry, the bench came to know that the buildings were constructed without permission or had deviations from the permitted plan. Several such petitions came from the Ayyappa Housing Society at Khanamet.
Justice Vijaysen Reddy asked the GHMC commissioner and other officials whether or not they were aware of the status quo ordered by the Supreme Court preventing constructions in Ayyappa Society.
“You (GHMC) would not stop illegal constructions, you allow them to complete the construction . Later, your staff advises them to approach the court to get electricity and water connections. The GHMC staff is playing a key role in using the courts as instruments to legalise illegal constructions,” Justice Reddy observed.
The court said it would implead the Anti-Corruption Bureau in the petitions coming before from builders with illegal constructions as to establish the role of staff in completing the illegal constructions.
“We know the heartburn of the law-abiding citizens who are paying lakhs of rupees for (building) permission. Without paying a single paise to the government , miscreants are completing construction (of illegal buildings) and enjoying all facilities. Everyone knows whose role is behind that. Let all these be probed,” Justice Reddy observed.
The court directed the GHMC to place its stand on the petitions seeking power and water connections, the court adjourned the matter for the coming week.
