HC CJ to hear the PILs on Amaravati against Govt

Amaravati: Seeking directions to the state government to continue the construction of the capital works at Amaravati, the farmers have been approaching the AP High Court.

The AP High Court bench will hear the grievances of the utterly disappointed and highly hurt farmers at the capital region Amaravati on February 3. A farmers' organization, Rajadhani Rytu Parirakshana Samithi filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) at the HC, which is listed for hearing on February 3, 2019. The petition will be heard by HC bench comprises of Chief Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice M. Venkata Ramana, explained the petitioner Dhanekula Rama Rao, Secretary of the farmers' organization.

The aggrieved farmers, who sacrificed their valuable agriculture lands for the construction of the capital city Amaravati, prayed the HC to give directions to the state government for continuing the development works which were halted by the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy with an intention to shift the capital from here to three parts in the state.

Advocate Ambati Sudhakara Rao filed the petition against both the State and Central governments, making them as respondents. The respondents in the PIL of Rajadhani Rytu Parirakshana Samithi are including, Jai Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Govt of India, Chairman of CRDA, Chief Secretary of AP govt and others.

Rama Rao said that they have urged the HC to issue a Writ of Mandamus order declaring the action of the state government in stopping all current plans and developmental activities in the capital city area notified A P CRDA Act 2014 as illegal. They further urged the HC to bring the GN Rao Expert Committee and its recommendations too into the ambit of this order.

"The AP government's present actions are amounting illegal arbitrary and against the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. Further, it is against the provisions of Sections 46, 52, 57, 58 and 60 of the APCRDA Act 2014 and Rules 10 to 13 of AP Capital City Land Pooling Scheme Formulation and Implementation Rules 2015", he explained.

On the other hand, another other farmer including K Rambabu, G Bhanu Prakash, Naydu Rama Krishna and others from Velagapudi village also urged the HC to give directions to State government to complete the pending works, as per the notified Capital City Master Plan and the Amaravati Flood Mitigation Works reports published by the APCRDA and Amaravati Development Corporation Ltd. The advocate Karumanchi Indraneel Babu said that this case is listed for hearing on January 24, 2020. He informed that, in this PIL, they urged HC to direct the State government to regulate the course of the Kondaveeti Vagu and Pala Vagu. APCRDA has to ensure the excess rainwater is effectively drained and managed in accordance with the Capital city master plan. It has to take up the flood mitigation works on a priority basis to ensure that the excess rainfall is managed, he said.