Hyderabad: The Telangana high court criticized the state on Monday for taking time to respond to petitions questioning GO 69, replacing GO 111 which protected the catchment areas in the twin reservoirs, Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.
The HC said that the state had requested three weeks to file its counter on August 3, but during Monday’s hearing, it requested three more weeks. An enraged bench told the state two weeks to react, warning that if it did not do so by the next day of hearing on September 14, it would lose its right to present its case.
The court also warned the municipal administration’s principal secretary of financial penalties. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and justice CV Bhaskar Reddy was considering two 2007 petitions requesting that GO 111 be implemented by the state.
The bench told the assistant government pleader arguing the state’s case that it was dismayed by the principal secretary’s attitude for failing to recognize that this was a 15-year-old petition.
One of the petitioners, Omin Maneckshaw Debara, has also filed an interlocutory appeal challenging the state’s recent decision to repeal GO 111 through GO 69.
“The heart of GO 69 is that it will terminate GO 111 and all environmental provisions therein,” stated petitioner’s advocate, senior counsel K S Murthy.
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