Telangana HC hears argument on school built on tank land

The Telangana High Court has adjourned by a week a writ petition alleging that schools run by Salar‑e‑Millat Educational Trust were built within the Full Tank Level and buffer zone of Salkamcheruvu in Hyderabad.

By Our Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the Telangana High Court on Friday adjourned by one week a writ petition alleging that educational institutions run by Salar‑e‑Millat Educational Trust have been constructed within the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zone of Salkam Cheruvu in Hyderabad district.

---

During the hearing, counsel appearing for the School Education Department orally informed the Court that no permission had been granted for the operation of schools in the alleged structures. Taking note of the submission, the Court posted the matter for further hearing after one week.

The petitioner sought a declaration that constructions i.e., Barrister Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus KG to PG raised within the lake area and its buffer zone are illegal and contrary to the provisions of the GHMC Act, 1955, the Telangana Building Rules, 2012 and the Telangana BPASS Act, 2020.

The plea sought directions to the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) to demolish and remove the alleged illegal constructions inside and around Salkam Cheruvu, identified as HMDA Lake ID No. 4001/1, and to initiate prosecution against the alleged encroachers.

The petitioner also sought recovery of demolition costs from the encroachers and the filing of a compliance report before the Court. The petition further requested the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority’s Lake Protection Committee to place on record the action taken so far regarding the alleged encroachments and to ensure that similar constructions do not come up in lake areas in future.