Quarry leases to minor mineral workers: Telangana HC issues notice to State

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy on Monday ordered notice to the State government in a batch of writ petitions challenging quarry leases to minor mineral workers through auctions. The panel was dealing with a batch of petitions filed by Mohammed Munnu Miyb […]

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy on Monday ordered notice to the State government in a batch of writ petitions challenging quarry leases to minor mineral workers through auctions.

The panel was dealing with a batch of petitions filed by Mohammed Munnu Miyb and Others. They contended that the State government had earlier followed procedure of granting quarry leases on first-cum-first-served basis, but by virtue of GOMs, the government started granting quarry leases by holding auctions that would affect the life of many quarry workers.

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The counsel for State pointed out that in order to remove discretion, maintain transparency and to augment mining revenue, the government had proposed to grant leases for minor minerals through auctions. The counsel for the petitioners contended that prior to the GOMs order they made applications for obtaining quarry leases and cancellation of the said applications would affect their livelihood. The panel will continue to hear the matter on November 24.

Revenue secretary asked to file report on wakf

Justice K Lalitha of the Telangana High Court on Monday directed the Principal Secretary Revenue to appear before the court if the joint survey report with respect to Dargah Jannul Shah Waqf is not filed by September 27.

The judge was hearing a writ plea filed by Fatimaunnisa Begum who is the Mutavalli of Dargah Jannul Shah Waqf situated at Afzal Gunj. The contention of the petitioner was that in spite of permission granted by the Telangana State Waqf Board to construct shops on the Waqf property for maintenance of the Waqf and there being survey report by the Revenue Department that the Waqf land was outside the Musi River buffer zone, and available for construction, the municipal authorities were not granting permission for construction.

Sarang J Afzulpurkar, appearing for the petitioners contended that it was a clear case of colourable exercise of power displayed by the municipal authorities for no reason. The judge on earlier occasion directed a joint survey to be conducted by the revenue authorities along with Municipal Corporation on the land to ascertain whether it was in the buffer zone or not. The matter will be heard on September 27.