High Court smells a rat in project approval

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, Dec 27 : The AP High Court on Thursday expressed doubts about the chief secretary’s signature on a note produced by the state government pertaining to Cabinet proceedings in granting approval to a water scheme in Chittoor, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s native district.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice K.J. Sengupta and Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao was dealing with a petition by Telangana Rashtrapati Samiti MLA T. Harish Rao against the Chief Minister, challenging the CM’s action in granting the water scheme to the district. The Chief Justice pointed out that the note did not seem to be in order with regard to the signature of the chief secretary.

The state government, on Thursday, had placed the Cabinet proceedings in a sealed cover. After perusing the note, the Chief Justice expressed his doubts to the counsel representing the Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (Incap), regarding the originality of the note.

After consulting with the joint secretary of the government present in court, the counsel replied that it was the original note of the Cabinet proceedings.

Not satisfied, the Chief Justice directed the chief secretary to file a sworn affidavit stating that the note was original and granted a week to submit the affidavit.

Harish Rao had challenged a GO issued on October 14, 2013 according administrative approval for Rs 4,300 crore for execution of a Rs 7,390 crore drinking water supply project.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLA T. Harish Rao had, in his petition, contended that there was no Cabinet approval for the water scheme in Chittoor as the entire Cabinet was divided on regional lines and there was no possibility of securing approval and funds from either the state Cabinet or Assembly for the Chittoor project.

On December 18, the state government had submitted before the court that the Cabinet had ratified the decision of the state government in granting administrative sanction, releasing of funds and awarding contract for the scheme. The bench had then directed that the proceedings be placed before it.