GHMC followed due process against polluting units: HC

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court, comprising Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, disposed of a PIL and a batch of writ petitions relating to pollution generation by commercial units in the Shastripuram residential area and Tata Nagar within the GHMC limit. In 2020, the court had directed the GHMC […]

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court, comprising Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, disposed of a PIL and a batch of writ petitions relating to pollution generation by commercial units in the Shastripuram residential area and Tata Nagar within the GHMC limit. In 2020, the court had directed the GHMC to vacate such units by following the due process. When the notices were served, more than 116 unit owners approached the single-bench of the high court and others went to the City Civil Court for relief.

As per a report submitted to the court by the GHMC, 345 units were identified as pollution-causing in the 30 acres of the Shastripuram residential area. Around 146 units have shifted to other areas after they received closure notice. The PIL and connected matters were closed upon a submission made by the counsel for GHMC who stated that fresh closure notices were issued and reasonable time was provided to all commercial units.

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According to the status report submitted by the counsel, the units were asked to satisfy the GHMC authorities within seven days as to how they do not come under the category of ‘pollution-causing units’. Once the exercise was completed, the GHMC in its final closure orders asked them to vacate the place within 14 days.

The panel observed that the GHMC followed due process. It directed that the remaining cases be posted to June 4.

Trade licence fee

Justice A Abhishek Reddy directed Hotel Avasa to deposit 50% of the fee as demanded by the authority towards trade licence. A writ plea was filed by Stamlo Industries Limited, which runs the five-star hotel, challenging the resolution passed by the Standing Committee on the recommendation of the GHMC Commissioner for creating a new criterion for charging this fee on the basis of their star rating with retrospective effect as unreasonable and without any power vested by the authority. The counsel for the petitioner said the GHMC officials threatened to seize the property of the hotel if it failed to pay the entire fee immediately. The judge directed the petitioner to pay 50% of the fee while asking the GHMC to file its counter.

AICTE questioned

Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili directed the All India Technical Education not to step outside its realm of its duties. S Niranjan Reddy, senior counsel who appeared for KG Reddy College of Engineering and Technology, Bhaskar Engineering College and a few others, submitted that they are properly established educational institutions and the AICTE without any reference and based on the letter of the Chief Minister denied an extension to them and placed them in the ‘No Admission Category’. He submitted that the AICTE has no power to decide whether these colleges violated GO Ms 111. The judge sought an explanation from the AICTE. A notice has been issued to AICTE, State government, JNTU, Telangana State Council for Higher Education and Commissioner of Technical Education. The matter was adjourned to May.

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