Set up municipal building tribunal within 6 weeks, HC tells govt

Hyderabad: The division bench of Telangana High Court, headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavali, on Wednesday directed the State government to constitute the municipal building tribunal within six weeks, failing which the Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration, will remain present before the court.

The court was hearing the plea filed by the Forum for Good Governance, an NGO represented by its secretary, M Padmanabha Reddy, a retired bureaucrat, aggrieved by the inaction of the government in neither constituting the tribunal nor appointing its chairman and other members.

The counsel for the petitioner informed the court that the main task of the tribunal is to restrain persons from resorting to illegal constructions across the State and in its absence, rampant illegal constructions are being made.

The court made it clear that, if the government fails to constitute the tribunal, the Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration, will appear before the court and explain the reasons for the delay in constituting the tribunal.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955 was amended in 2016 paving the way for constitution of the tribunal to expeditiously dispose of cases relating to unauthorised constructions, but the tribunal has not yet been constituted.

HC directs govt to protect govt land in Suryapet dist

The division bench, headed by CJ Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice A K Shavali directed the government to protect the government land admeasuring 80 acres located in survey numbers 307, 540 and 541 at Pedaveedu village, Mattampally mandal, Suryapet district from encroachment.

The land is being encroached by Kamakshi Cements Factory, Sagar Cements Pvt Ltd and Amareshwari Cements Pvt Ltd, which are doing business in the district.

The division bench was hearing the public interest litigation filed by Redapangu Venkateswarlu, an agriculturist from the district, aggrieved by inaction of the district collector in not protecting the precious government land from encroachers viz., cement companies.

It is pertinent here to mention that during the earlier round of hearing, the CJ Court had issued notices to the government and the cement companies to respond.

The court 'diposed' of the PIL directing the State to protect the government land and ensure that there is no further encroachment. It made it clear that the State should ensure that there shall not be transfer of the government land to third parties, without following due process of law.