Kaiyani Khani open cast mining: Govt told to clarify on grama sabha meet

The High Court at Hyderabad has directed the Telangana State government to confirm whether a ‘grama sabha’ was held to obtain consent for land acquisition for Kaiyani Khani Open Cast Mining project of Singareni Collieries in Adilabad district.

The division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Shameem Akhter gave this direction while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Telangana Vidyavanthula Vedika (TVV) questioning the process of the land acquisition for this project.

Counsel for the petitioner B Rachna Reddy informed the bench that since the lands fall under Scheduled Area, Section 41(3) of the new Land Acquisition Act 2013 mandates that in case of acquisition or alienation of any land in the Scheduled Areas the prior consent of the Gram Sabha or Panchayats or the autonomous District councils concerned, at the appropriate level in Scheduled Areas under the 5th Schedule to the Constitution shall be obtained. She contended that in this case, no Grama Sabha was held to obtain the consent.

She also stated that Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996 would also be applicable. The bench directed the Telangana Government Pleader to confirm whether Grama Sabha meeting was held or not in one week and posted the matter to next Tuesday.