HC seeks clarity on Victoria Memorial Home land ownership

A division Bench of Hyderabad High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Ganga Rao on Tuesday wanted the Telangana government to clarify whether the Victoria Memorial Home Residential School, Hyderabad, where the Police Commissionerate, Rachakonda is to come up is a trust/endowment property or a property of the government.

The bench was dealing with a PIL filed by former students. Satyam Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the petitioners, said that this a trust property and comes under endowments. The property was given by the Sixth Nizam for the benefit of poor orphans. He lamented that the government issued GO to build police headquarters here without any authority. J. Ramachandra Rao, Additional Advocate General of Telangana said that this is government property. Of the 74 acres of home land, only 10 acres were allotted for the police headquarters, he said. The bench felt that at present there will be no need of demolition, but did not pass any orders to that effect. The case will be heard next week.

PIL on autorickshaw pollution

A division bench of Hyderabad High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Ganga Rao on Tuesday asked the Telangana government and Union of India to respond to the PIL filed seeking prohibition of three-wheelers registered prior to 2010 to reduce pollution in Hyderabad.

The bench was dealing with a case filed by Santhakumar Reddy who said that these pre-2010 autos are causing pollution and only those which run on LPG and CNG be allowed. The bench wondered whether the pollution is increasing only due to autos and wanted the State and Central governments to file counter affidavits clearly stating how much pollution is caused by such autos and how many are plying in the city. The case is adjourned by four weeks.

Ramappa temple conservation

The same division bench asked the Telangana government and the Central government to inform the court about the steps being taken to protect and conserve the famous Ramappa temple in Palampet, Jaishankar Bhupalpally district.

Secretary, Archaeological Department New Delhi, Director, State Archaeology, district Collector are to file counter affidavits within two weeks. The bench was dealing with a taken-up case. A Telugu newspaper published a report on the neglect of the monument which is an icon of Kakatiya rule. Based on this story, Justice Naveen Rao addressed a letter to Acting chief Justice. This was treated as PIL and taken up by the bench on Tuesday. The bench said the steps taken must be stated clearly in counter affidavits and adjourned the case by two weeks.

NGT order on Kaleshwaram

A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Ganga Rao on Tuesday heard in part the arguments in a case filed regarding the order of National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Kaleshwaram project. The arguments will continue on Wednesday.

The bench was dealing with a writ petition filed by the Telangana government. Prakash Reddy, Advocate General of Telanagana said that the bench at Delhi does not have jurisdiction and the case is filed beyond limitation. These issues were argued before the NGT, but the Tribunal did not deal with these preliminary objections. Vedula Venkata Ramana, senior counsel appearing for the citizens who approached the NGT said that the appeal has to be filed in Supreme Court as per the Act and the present petition is not maintainable. The bench wanted to peruse these issues further and adjourned the case to Wednesday .