Sunday, January 19, 2014

Hussainsagar gets Supreme Court ring of protection

DC | S.A. ISHAQUI
Published Jan 18, 2014, 3:30 pm IST

The Supreme Court has ruled that no construction activity should be allowed in and around Hussainsagar.
Hyderabad: The Supreme Court has ruled that no construction activity should be allowed in and around Hussainsagar till final disposal of the petitions on the matter pending before the AP High Court. These petitions had challenged the action of the AP government in allowing constructions adjacent to the lake.
The apex court was disposing of petitions filed by the Forum for A Better Hyderabad against the proposed memorial park for the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. The AP High Court had granted an interim stay on the matter.
The Forum had moved the High Court against the decision of the TD government in 2000 proposing 21 projects including Eat Street, Jalavihar Lumbini Park and obtained interim stay. Most of the projects were completed by the time the stay was granted.
Later Prof. G. Haragopal moved the High Court against the construction of the railway station at Necklace Road. The petition was dismissed by the High Court, and he moved the apex court.
The Forum for Better Hyderabad sought to be impleaded in the litigation at the apex court, and brought up the matter of the memorial park for YSR.
The Supreme Court had constituted three committees — the Luther panel and two committees headed by R. Rajamani — to suggest measures to protect the lake.
After perusing the committees’ reports, the apex court decided to transfer the case to the AP High Court.  The apex court directed the disposal of the case within four months; in the meanwhile it granted a stay on construction in and around the lake.