Telangana HC directs HMDA Lake Protection Committee to clarify extent of Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu

Telangana High Court directed the Lake Protection Committee of the HMDA and relevant departments to clarify the extent of the Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu lake in Uppal Mandal, Medchal district.

By Legal correspondent

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court directed the Lake Protection Committee of the HMDA and relevant departments to clarify the extent of the Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu lake in Uppal Mandal, Medchal district. The court is seeking confirmation on whether the lake covers 17.26 acres or approximately 30 acres and has ordered the publication of the Final Notification on the Full Tank Level (FTL) of the lake. During the proceedings, the Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, emphasised the need for the authorities to issue the final FTL notification within three weeks, taking into account objections raised by local residents regarding a preliminary notification issued in October 2023. Additionally, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has been directed to fence the lake within six months. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is filed in 2005, concerning the health of Pedda Cheruvu lake, alongside 25 implead petitions challenging the lake protection committee’s preliminary notification. Residents argued that the lake, which they claim has been shrinking and is used as a dumping ground, is inaccurately represented in the committee’s assessment. The preliminary notification indicated that the lake’s area is around 30 acres, a figure derived from a report by private consultant Aarvee Associates based on Google Maps. However, many local residents pointed out that GHMC had previously stated the lake’s size as 17.26 acres in an affidavit submitted to the court in 2016. Counsel for the petitioners contended that the lake had not been desilted, leading to reduced capacity due to sewage inflow and dumping practices, which have altered the water spread. They argued that without appropriate desilting and the establishment of proper outlets, authorities should not finalise the FTL. The court has mandated that the Lake Protection Committee engage with residents who objected to the preliminary notification, ensuring their concerns are addressed before moving forward.

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2. A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court, led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, has suspended a previous directive requiring Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to renew its contract with Leela Gas Agency. This decision follows a writ appeal filed by IOCL against an earlier ruling that favored Leela Gas Agency. The dispute began when K. Prabhakar, the managing partner of the agency, alleged that IOCL terminated their dealership without proper investigation or adherence to due process. Leela Gas Agency contended that the termination stemmed from false allegations and that IOCL did not conduct a thorough inquiry as required by its guidelines. In contrast, IOCL asserted that the agency had entered into unauthorised agreements, including both registered and unregistered Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and a partnership deed with Prabhakar, without obtaining necessary approvals. Although IOCL offered the agency a chance to rectify these alleged irregularities by paying a ratification fee, Leela Gas Agency did not respond to this opportunity. The bench, after reviewing the records, concluded that the findings in the order issued by IOCL—claiming that the petitioner was guilty of inducting Sri K. Prabhakar into the distributorship without prior permission—were factually incorrect. The bench accordingly ordered the immediate restoration of the gas agency’s operations and barred IOCL from interfering without due process.