Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday set aside the final declaration notified by the land acquisition officer to acquire lands for Vattem reservoir as part of the Palamuru–Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme.
Justice A. Ramalingeswara Rao, while allowing the plea of petitioner A. Bharatamma and 25 other farmers of Vattem village, found fault with the authorities for issuing the final declarations without conducting the gram sabhas and without considering the objections of the petitioners.
The petitioners told the court that the market value of their lands had not been revised for the past seven years and the authorities issued the final notification without notifying the resettlement and rehabilitation package under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
A. Sanjeev Kumar, counsel for the state government, while assuring that the government was prepared to conduct gram sabhas, urged the court to observe that the current order was applicable only to the petitioners.
While observing that the present order will be applicable only to the petitioners, the judge made it clear that the acquisition process should be in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
‘Laggard’ health wings upset HC
The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday directed the medical and health departments of TS and AP to file their counter affidavits in a PIL seeking to direct the TS government to take steps to prevent the illegal, unethical, exploitative medical practices by corporate and private hospitals and nursing homes in both the states.
A division bench comprising of Justice V. Ramasubramanian and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili was hearing the PIL by Narender Kazipeta, whose sister T. Sunitha died due to alleged negligence of Care Hospitals.
Counsel for the petitioner complained against the failure of the governments of both the states to file their counter affidavits despite nearly a year after the case was filed.
When counsels appearing for the two governments sought time to file the affidavits, the bench said it was their last chance and if the counter affidavits were not filed by November 4, the principal health secretaries of both states would have to appear before the court on the day.
