Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has directed the state government to ensure that villagers will not be dispossessed of their houses in Kodumunja and Neelojipalle, which will be submerged by the Mid Manair project in Rajanna Sircilla district, without giving them compensation.
Justice A. Ramalingeswara Rao was hearing two separate petitions by affected residents of the two villages challenging the drastically reduced value attributed to their houses in contravention of the recommendations of the three member committee for compensation to affected villagers due to submergence.
Ms B. Rachana Reddy, counsel for the petitioners, said the villagers were being asked to vacate their houses, without paying compensation.
Government counsel said that petitioners were not in possession of the houses. The Vigilance department had submitted reports stating that there was boosting of prices of structures.
Objecting to this contention, Ms Rachana Reddy placed pictures of inhabited villages and occupied by residents seeking to be evacuated before the court.
The judge directed the Land Acquisition Officer concerned to award the compensation by sorting out the issue by August 8.
PIL questions MLA funds
The Forum for Good Governance has moved a PIL before the Hyderabad High Court challenging the allocation of funds by the state government under Constituency Development Programme (CDP) to MLAs and MLCs and as Special Development Fund (SDF) to ministers.
The forum urged the court to declare the release of about Rs 700 crore as CDP to MLAs and MLCs and SDF to ministers without treasury control and audit inspection by any authority as illegal and arbitrary.
