Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Contempt plea on APIIC shut

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, June 23 : Justice Nooty Rammohana Rao of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday closed contempt proceedings pending against the vice-chairman and managing director of the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation and vice-chairman of Visakhapatnam Urban development Authority and three others.

While disposing of a contempt petition filed by Mr Patnala Appa Rao and Mr I. Eswara Rao, residents of Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam, against the five officials including special officer of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, the judge said that the authorities did not violate the court orders and therefore there was no need for further proceedings against them.

While passing the order, the Judge recorded the submissions of Mr K.V. Simhadri, counsel for the APIIC, that the corporation did not allow any industrial activity after the stay order passed by the court on October 1, 2007.

He said that the industrial park was situated on 108 acres and when it was brought to the notice of the corporation that only 10 acres fell under the residential zone, the corporation took steps not to carry out any industrial activity in that area.

Mr Simhadri told the court that the land was allotted to Mix Exports Pvt Ltd to set up a fly ash brick industry on Match 26, 2007. The petitioners approached the court in October 2007. Later, they filed a contempt petition against the officials, he added.

He urged the judge to vacate stay orders as there was no violation of court orders and the allotment was also made prior to filing of the writ petition. The judge did not agree to vacate the stay without final hearing on the writ and directed that the interim stay was made absolute.

The judge considered the request of the counsel and posted the final hearing after the Dasara vacation as requested by the counsel.

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