Hyderabad: Expressing displeasure at the casual attitude of civic authorities, the Hyderabad High Court told the Municipal Administration and Urban Development department of Telangana to prepare an action plan for cleaning drains and manholes in the cities and municipalities of the state and place it before court by June 1.
A vacation bench comprising Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar and Justice S.V. Bhatt while dealing with a taken up case regarding the death of two casual labourers in the city while cleaning a sewage manhole, pulled up the civic authorities and the Hyderabad Metro Waters Works and Sewerage Board for not having a clear policy on clearing sewage.
The court told the counsel for the Home department to identify the private individual who engaged the two workers immediately. Irked at the reply given by the counsel of the Water Board that they could not identify the persons engaged the two workers who were killed while cleaning a manhole in Sultan Bazaar, the bench pointed out whether the authorities at least have an idea who is opening the drains and manholes in city and whether private individuals have the right to open manholes by engaging labour.
When the counsel told that Rs 2 lakh exgratia was paid to the families of each labourer, the bench said, “do you think that it is right to pay Rs 2 lakh whenever a casual worker dies in a manhole and wash off your hands? Or at least do you have any idea as to who are the private individuals who are engaging casual workers in an unauthorized manner to clean manholes and drains?”
Maintaining that that officers know the fact that private citizens are engaging workers to open drains, the bench told the government to frame guidelines along with safety measures and place it before court.
While adjourning the case the bench asked the Board counsel about the assurance that they will write to the state for a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased. When the counsel replied that they are yet to write the government the bench told him to do it immediately.
No stay on demolition order
A vacation bench comprising Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar and Justice S.V. Bhatt of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday refused to stay an order granted by a single judge for the demolition of an alleged illegal commercial complex belonging to the family of K. Vivekananda, the MLA of Qutubullapur in the city.
The bench was dealing with writ appeals by the MLA and the management of Narayana College located in the complex.
Earlier, a single judge had issued the order for the demolition of the building on a petition by one K.M. Pratap, after finding that it was constructed in complete violation of the sanctioned plan and was also occupying public road.
The counsels appearing for the appellants submitted that their clients have applied for regularisation under the Building Regularisation Scheme and that BRS itself was pending before a bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice. They urged the bench grant a stay till the final outcome of the petitions before the Acting Chief Justice’s bench.
Pointing out that when the respondents were constructing the building the BRS scheme was not in force and that the bench headed by the Acting Chief Justicehas not given any order staying the demolition of unauthorised buildings, the bench adjourned the case to June 1.
