Paul files PIL before HC against Kamareddy master plan

Hyderabad: Praja Shanthi Party founder K.A. Paul filed a PIL before the Telangana High Court challenging the proposed Kamareddy master plan.

Although he had filed the PIL in the first week of January, the case was listed on Monday before the division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N. Tukaramji.

During arguments, as a party in-person, Paul informed the court that a young farmer died by suicide because of the master plan, leaving behind his wife and two children.

Around 2,000 marginal farmers with one acre or less are struggling for want of livelihood. Without seeking their opinions, the government has unilaterally issued a notification, he alleged.

Further, he submitted that the police were beating up farmers, who were protesting against the draft master plan. Government officials and the district collector are behaving as dictators, Paul told the court.

Valuable government properties are being leased for 99 years for mega bucks,
while lands of impoverished farmers are being acquired for a pittance of Rs two lakh per acre, he argued.

Meanwhile, the standing counsel for Kamareddy municipality informed the court that the municipal council had unanimously passed the decision to withdraw the proposed master plan and had submitted the resolution to the state government.

Paul refuted the contentions and argued that the municipality had no powers to withdraw or cancel the draft master plan as it was the state government that had to take the call.

The court directed the state government to submit its stand on the draft master plan of Kamareddy municipality by February  13.