HC seeks govt. reply on encroachment of tanks

Telangana High Court directed the State government to file counter affidavits in two PIL petitions relating to alleged encroachments of water bodies surrounding the State capital.

A bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy said the government should reply to the pleas by June 24. Lawyer K. Pawan Kumar was appointed amicus curiae to assist the HC to adjudicate the two PIL petitions.

A social activist Lubna Sawath filed the first PIL petition stating that illegal construction activities were being allowed in water bodies at Puppalaguda of Rajendranagar coming under Rangareddy district. With some persons filling up parts of the lakes, these water bodies are likely to disappear from the database of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority soon, it was stated in the PIL petition.

A lawyer, S. Malleshwar Rao, filed another PIL plea stating that Katta Maisamma tank in Sitharam village of Qutbullahpur was being encroached upon by some persons. Multi-storied structures were coming up on the tank land by illegally occupying them, the lawyer stated.

The bench directed the Registry to tag both the PIL petitions together. It observed that no one would be permitted to encroach upon the water bodies.