Hyderabad: Stating that courts cannot have the authority or expertise on the designs and modifications of irrigation projects, the Telangana High Court rejected on Monday, a PIL petition urging to restrict state government to not alter a canal design of an irrigation project in Bhongir-Yadadri district.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A. Rajasheker Reddy was dealing with a petition by a farmer from Ramgoni thanda of the district, stating that the authorities had altered the canal plan of an irrigation project, deviating from the original one.
The petitioner sought a direction to government to retain the initial design and alleged that the authorities had changed the plan with other motives. He also brought to the notice of the court that the new plan could cause more land acquisition in his native thanda.
Rejecting the contentions of the petition, the bench said that it can seek an explanation from government only if the petitioner can prove that there were malafide intentions behind the change in canal plan. “You should first speak to your government …. The judiciary doesn’t have a magic wand,” the acting CJ said.
Recalling the Supreme Court remarks on the high courts for passing directions in purely administrative matters, the bench said that it cannot go into the disputed questions of irrigation projects.
