Ryots knock at AP High Court's door

Amaravati: Farmers are approaching the High Court, seeking directions to the State government to continue with the construction activity in Amaravati.

The AP High Court bench will hear petitions filed by the farmers on February 3 next year. A farmers' organisation, Rajadhani Rytu Parirakshana Samithi, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petitionin the High Court.

The PIL is listed for hearing on February 3 next year. The petition will be heard by division bench comprising Chief Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice M Venkata Ramana, said petitioner Danekula Ram Rao, secretary of the farmers' organisation.

The aggrieved farmers, who gave their valuable agriculture lands for the construction of the capital city, Amaravati, prayed the High Court to give directions to the State government to continue the development works which were halted by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy with an intention to shift the capital.

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, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Principal of Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of India, Chairman of CRDA, Chief Secretary of AP goverment and others.

Rama Rao said they had urged the High Court to issue a writ of mandamus declaring the action of the State government in stopping all current plans and development activities in the capital city area notified A P CRDA Act 2014 as illegal. They further urged the High Court to bring the GN Rao,head of expert committee and its recommendations too into the ambit of this order.

"The AP government's present actions are 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, other farmers, including K Rambabu, G Bhanu Prakash, Naydu Rama Krishna and others from Velagapudi village also urged the court 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 the petition is listed for hearing on January 24. He said in this PIL, the petitioners urged the court to direct the State government to regulate the course of the Kondaveeti Vagu and Pala Vagu.

APCRDA to ensure that the excess rain water is effectively drained and managed in accordance to 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.