Telangana HC warns against Pedda Cheruvu encroachment

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court ordered the government to prevent encroachers from erecting illegal constructions in the Full Tank Level (FTL) and Buffer Zone of Meerpet Pedda Cheruvu, which is located at Meerpet Village in Balapur Mandal of Rangareddy District.

The respondents were requested to file their counters before the following day’s hearing, and the PIL was postponed to July 20, 2023.

A PIL was filed by Akula Padma against the respondent for failing to take any action against the unlawful encroachment of buffer zone lands and FTL areas in Meerpet village’s Sy. No. 46 (part) and Sy. No. 61 (Shikam).

In a PIL, she stated that the lands are not only being encroached upon by locals building houses in the FTL area but are also being used for dumping soil and other construction materials.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji heard B Rachana Reddy, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, before granting status quo orders and serving notices on the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries of the Irrigation and Revenue departments, Rangareddy district Collector, Commissioners of GHMC, and others.

Many wetlands have been threatened by conversion to non-wetland purposes and have been used beyond their acceptable limits through landfilling, pollution, and over-exploitation of their natural resources. Such actions are a violation of Environmental Laws, Supreme Court, High Court, and NGT directions, the PIL said.