Telangana asked explain construction in FTL of Hussainsagar

The High Court at Hyderabad on Tuesday directed the Telangana State government to submit an explanation regarding the constructions in the full tank level of Hussainsagar Lake. It also sought full details of constructions that are happening in violation of Supreme Court directions in this regard by filing a counter affidavit.

The division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice T Rajani gave these directions while hearing a public interest litigation petition moved by former Minister and Congress leader Marri Sashidhar Reddy seeking a direction to stop these illegal constructions in FTL area of Hussai Sagar lake.

The counsel for the petitioner Ravishankar Jandhyala informed the bench that the Supreme Court had already taken cognizance of such structures around Hussain Sagar lake and had constituted a committee to look into this issue. Upon the recommendations of the committee, it had banned any construction in FTL area but disregarding those directions of the Supreme Court, fresh constructions are happening, he said. The state government was proposing to construct double bed room houses in Ambedkar Nagar slum area on the banks of the lake.

Telangana Advocate General K Ramakrishna Reddy objected to this submission by saying that the government was proposing to construct double bedroom houses on government land that was not falling under FTL. In fact, the area does not even fall under buffer zone, he said and wondered why the petitioner was objecting to this construction. The bench directed the state to file a detailed counter and adjourned the matter by a week.