Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority to takes steps for protection of lakes by fencing them.
A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao, was disposing of a suo motu case, taken-up on a letter by K.L. Vyas of the Osmania University highlighting the encroachment of Ramanthapur lake in the city in 2012.
When the case came up for hearing in 2012, the High Court had noted that there are 501 lakes within HMDA limits, of which 176 lakes come within the jurisdiction of the GHMC.
The authorities had filed reports stating that they would undertake fencing of all lakes where the Full Tank Level is already marked. While considering the reports, the bench ordered the HMDA and GHMC authorities to mark FTL of each of the lake after surveying them with revenue authorities.
The bench said that any unauthorised constructions or structures found within the buffer zone of the lakes should be removed and no structures allowed within the buffer zone.
The bench made it clear that the police and revenue authorities should ensure that all construction activity within the buffer zone as defined by the government is strictly prohibited.
Online services must reach all, AP TS told
The Hyderabad High Court on Monday advised the TS and AP governments to ensure online services reach the grassroots level so that farmers can utilise them to obtain required certificates from the revenue authorities to get farm loans and power connections without paying bribes.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao was dealing with a taken-up case based on news reports with regard to alleged corruption in the Revenue department and discoms in Mahbubnagar district.
Counsel for the TS government submitted that already, the government was extending 161 services through online mode through MeeSeva centres located in each mandal headquarters in the state.
While pointing out that each and every farmers may not have access to the mandal headquarters, the bench told counsel to advise the authorities to ensure that the only facility reaches the village level.
The bench also said that the farmers and other needy people must be enlightened about the services through which they can obtain certificates without paying bribes are available online.
When counsel said that the government has proposed to extend the facility to the village level in phased manner, the bench told counsel representing the AP government to explore the possibilities of extending the online facility to village level and appraise the court by Wednesday.
