Court gave relief to Nagarjuna with status quo

HYDERABAD: On a day when the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) posted caution notices at the N-Convention Centre in Madhapur informing people that it was constructed without valid permission, actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, its owner, moved the Hyderabad High Court and was granted the relief of status quo.

While granting status quo, Justice A Rajasheker Reddy of the Hyderabad High Court directed the State government to respond to the writ petition filed by Nagarjuna, challenging the action of the authorities in fixing Full Tank Level (FTL) at his N-Convention Centre near the Gurukul Trust lands, Khanamet (Madhapur).

Irrigation and revenue departments had surveyed the area around the convention centre and reports suggested that nearly three acres of the tank bed, FTL and buffer zone have been occupied by the actor.

Nagarjuna filed the writ petition in the form of a lunch motion on Monday complaining that the authorities had conducted the survey without issuing a notice to him and fixed boundaries unilaterally.

He contended that the survey was illegal. The actor further claimed he had purchased the land in 1992 and constructed the function hall by taking licence from the GHMC.

An application was also made for regularisation under the BRS. Later, a petition was also filed on the BRS issue which was pending before the court, he submitted.

He informed the court that the function hall was given on lease and the action of the authorities could cause inconvenience to those who have booked the hall for marriage and other purposes. He urged the court to restrain the authorities from taking coersive steps.

K Ramakrishna Reddy, advocate general of Telangana state, said a notice would be given at the time when action is taken. P Sriraghuram, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, contended that the officers cannot resort to unilateral action.

Earlier, the GHMC painted caution notices at different places of the N-Convention Centre stating that the structure was constructed without its permission.

Officials told that every unauthorised building was being marked in red as 'unauthorised and illegal' for identification purposes.

According to GHMC officials, the N-Convention Centre was built by encroaching upon the buffer zone and full tank level (FTL) of the Tammidi Kunta lake near the Hitec City.

The GHMC is taking legal opinion on the matter and notices are being carefully drafted and will be slapped on the promoters Tuesday, the officials added.

In the last few days, the GHMC has painted caution notices and warning boards on as many as 1,225 buildings, plots and commercial complexes that have been constructed in the Gurukul Trust lands without permission. The buildings have been seized and will be demolished as per the GHMC Act.

Persons who constructed the buildings are liable to be sentenced to up to three years in jail.

Meanwhile, a special drive was taken up by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), electricity department, Rangareddy collector and various heads of departments of the GHMC to stop all unauthorised constructions.

Under the drive officials are making public announcements, cutting electricity and water supplies of houses sealed by the TGSPDCL and the HMWS&SB.

People are also being informed about various procedures to be adopted while purchasing and selling the unauthorised structures. Serious action will be initiated against people who buy/sell such lands, officials said.