Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday asked the Telangana government to file an affidavit explaining the steps being taken to resettle and rehabilitate the landless poor and families affected by GO 123 invoked for Mallannasagar Irrigation Project and other irrigation projects in the state.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice U Durga Prasad Rao was hearing a batch of petitions moved by land owners from Medak and Mahabubnagar districts challenging the action of the government in procuring lands through GO No 123.
The bench reminded that Schedule 3 of the Central Act 2013 for land acquisition speaks about the protection of affected families of landless poor. Referring to a query from the Bench, Mr K. Ramakrishna Reddy, Advocate General, said that the government had the power to procure or purchase land for public purpose in accordance with Article 298 of the Constitution that empowers the state to carry on trade or business and to acquire, hold and dispose of property to make contracts for any purpose.
He told the court that if the petitioners wanted to acquire their lands under Schedule 3 of the 2013 Act, the government will acquire their lands as per the provisions of the 2013 Act. The government is also bringing out a new act for land acquisition in the state.
Elsewhere the bench granted interim orders directing the state government not to purchase lands of B Sanga Reddy and 237 others of Medak district under the GO 123 for proposed National Investments and Infra-structure Zone (NIMZ) at Medak. In another petition by M Narasamma and 123 others from Konkalapalli village of Mahabubnagar district, the bench directed the authorities to acquire their lands under the 2013 Act.
While adjourning the hearing to Thursday, the bench asked the AG to explain whether the government will consider the assigned land holders as land owners or not.
