Hyderabad: A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt on Monday expressed displeasure at the GHMC for not taking steps to remove encroachments on footpaths.
The bench was dealing with a petition by Mahbubgunj resident Laxminivas Agarwal seeking removal of illegal encroachments and unauthorised constructions on the footpaths at Siddiamber Bazaar and Mahbubgunj.
The court, in its interim order, asked the GHMC to warn shop owners to remove the articles placed on footpaths. If they persist, the GHMC with the help of the police could seize the articles.
Ordering the presence of the deputy commissioner on June 22, the bench enquired with GHMC counsel about the steps taken by the corporation to remove encroachments after its order on December 15, 2014. The counsel said the GHMC had issued notices to shop owners and had confiscated the articles placed on pavements.
The bench said, “Let the GHMC identify big shop owners who have been occupied footpaths and cancel their business licenses.”
TS told to pay minimum wages
Making it clear that the government has to pay minimum wages to employees of gram Panchayats, the High Court directed the Telangana government to file a counter affidavit on a PIL seeking regularisation of services of about 55,000 employees working in gram panchayats.
The bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with the PIL by Rajarapu Prathap of Warangal district seeking a direction to the government to pay salaries and regularise the services of the employees with gram panchayats in accordance with the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and the Contract Labour (Prohibition and Regularise) Act, 1970. The petitioner submitted that the government had not paid salaries to more than 55,000 employees of various categories working in about 8,000 gram panchayats. The bench adjourned the matter to July 6.
Reply on rescue homes sought
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt directed the AP government to file an affidavit explaining whether it had any protective or rescue homes in the state to shelter victims of human trafficking.
The bench was dealing with a plea by Prajwala, a NGO represented by Sunita Krishnan, seeking directions to the AP and TS governments to take steps to run homes for victims of sex trafficking.
Counsel of the TS government said that the state had filed the affidavit explaining the number of rescue homes and steps taken to rehabilitate victims. The bench noticed that the AP has not filed the affidavit and said that it is the final chance to file it by June 22.
Compensation as per new Act
The AP government told the High Court that it will award compensation to farmers displaced by the Polavaram project under the new land acquisition Act. AP Advocate-General P. Venugopal made the submission before a division bench.
The bench was dealing with a batch of petitions moved by project-affected farmers in Krishna and West Godavari districts.
