Hyderabad, December 19: A Division Bench of the AP High Court consisting of Chief Justice A R Dave and Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy on Thursday took on record the statement of the GHMC regarding the steps it was taking to clear the Durgam Cheruvu of the debris thrown into it but also directed GHMC to submit a progress report on the action it had taken for removal of boulders, stones and other debris dumped into Durgam Cheruvu by next week.
The Bench had treated a news report appearing in an English local daily as a writ petition and issued notice to the civic authorities. The blame game was predictably started with the GHMC blaming the HMDA and vice versa. The Bench took on file the proceedings the Commissioner GHMC issued on December 4 for removal of all the boulders and other material dumped into the lake. Immediately after receiving the proceedings and after noticing the pictures the Chief Justice wondered where the lake had disappeared since it was not even visible in the pictures and Justice Nagarjuna Reddy wondered where they were now depositing the debris.
The Bench was further surprised when the counsel for the petitioner in a connected writ petition informed the Court, that even the APIIC had laid a road across the lake and had stopped the construction activity after the filing of the present writ petition.
The Bench voiced its visible concern at the ‘indifference’ of the authorities and said it was a fit case for the civic authorities to submit a daily report on the progress at the site. The Bench also wondered why no action was taken against the officers who failed to stall this disaster.
–Agencies–