Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the Medak district collector to consider the applications of petitioner farmers while acquiring their lands for proposed Mallannasagar project, under the Land Acquisition Act 2013, and till the consideration of their plea, not to disturb them from their land.
The AG, on behalf of TS, submitted that the government will take only lands of farmers who give it voluntarily for the project under GO 123. Justice A. Rajasheker Reddy was dealing with a petition by 15 farmers from Thogutta mandal of the district challenging the acquisition of their lands for construction Mallannasagar through GO Ms No. 123.
The petitioners alleged that the authorities were adopting coercive methods in acquiring their lands as they were not willing to give their properties through GO 123 that was issued recently by the TRS government.
The petitioners said that they were not against the project, but were opposing the forcible acquisition of lands. They urged the court to direct the government to acquire the lands by issuing proceedings under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
They also urged the court to direct the authorities to allow them to continue with the possession of their lands as they were not willing to sell them under GO MS No. 123 till completion of land acquisition process under the Act 2013. While directing the collector to consider the plea, the judge disposed of the petition.
Hyderabad HC seeks details on catfish ponds
The Hyderabad High Court on Monday sought details of alleged rampant cultivation of catfish in several mandals of Mahbubnagar district in a week.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao was dealing with a petition by Radha Krishna Reddy and Raghavender Reddy, MPTC members of district, stating that several private individuals were cultivating the banned fish in backwaters of the Tungabhadra, Jurala and Srisailam projects by digging ponds in Gadwal, Dharur, Alampur, Wadepally, Aiza and other mandals in the district.
They said that though they submitted several representations to the district administration, no action was taken to destroy the ponds. Cultivation of catfish will cause ecological imbalance and also spread dangerous diseases, the petitioners said, adding that this was being done in over 2,000 acres.
When counsel for the government said that 15 fish ponds were destroyed so far, the bench told the petitioners to place details of the cultivation of banned fish in other places and it will pass appropriate orders.
