By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb.5: A division bench comprising Chief Justice AR Daveand Justice Gopal Krishna Tamada on Tuesday did not agree to the pleato club various writ petitions and miscellaneous petitions filed infavour of and against acquiring temple lands for public purpose.
While hearing arguments on petitions filed by the State governmentasking the court to vacate stay orders on acquiring endowment lands,the bench refused the prayer of S Ramachandra Rao, senior counsel forthe petitioner, to club all the petition.
He said "if the government is allowed to acquire temple lands for theirrigation purpose, there is every possibility of abuse of power in theguise of irrigation projects".The bench observed that it would confine to hearing arguments onpetitions pertaining to irrigation projects and it would hear otherpetitions after two weeks.
Advocate-General CV Mohan Reddy submitted to the court that stayorders had stalled the construction of irrigation projects includingThotapalli barrage, Pulichintala, Polavaram, Handri-Neeva,Vamsadhara, Kandaleru reservoir, Jawahar Nettampadu, Koilsagar,Mahatma Gandhi lift irrigation schemes, and summer storage tanks inEast Godavari and Prakasam districts.He told the court that about 1800 acres of temple lands had to beacquired for the construction of irrigation projects.
He said thegovernment deposited Rs 49 crore towards compensation for templelands and the amount had been lying unutilised for several months.Justice Dave asked "what's wrong if the government is allowed toacquire lands specifically for irrigation purpose in the larger publicinterest".The bench reserved its orders.
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