Telangana High Court Criticizes HYDRAA for Demolition Actions

On Monday, the Telangana High Court rebuked HYDRAA for the demolitions carried out on Sunday at Kistareddypet Village, Ameenpur. The judge expressed strong disapproval towards the Tahsildar present in court for acting with undue haste in demolishing the structures on a Sunday and questioned why the demolition could not have taken place on Monday instead. The judge also highlighted the contradiction of proceeding with demolitions despite a full bench order prohibiting such actions on Sundays. He remarked, “If you engage in such illegal acts to appease your political or executive superiors, you will find yourself in trouble.”

The judge also interrogated HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath about the reasons behind the undue haste in demolishing the structures. Ranganath responded that HYDRAA serves merely as a coordinating agency and has no role in decision-making. He explained that they provided personnel and machinery at the request of the Tahsildar from Ameenpur Mandal to safeguard government lands. The judge countered, asking whether they would respond similarly if the Tahsildar of Charminar requested them to provide resources to demolish the High Court under the pretext of encroachment. He emphasised the need for a preliminary inquiry to assess the appropriateness of such actions. The judge cautioned HYDRAA to thoroughly inspect relevant records before deploying personnel and machinery, noting that public confidence in HYDRAA has eroded due to perceived discriminatory actions.

A.V. Ranganath told the court that HYDRAA is committed to adhering to its objectives and will follow the due process of law. In response, Justice Lakshman criticised HYDRAA for seemingly prioritising demolitions over its other responsibilities, highlighting that one of its stated goals is traffic coordination and management. The judge noted that there has been no instance where HYDRAA or its officers have collaborated with regular traffic police for effective traffic management. He further challenged the HYDRAA commissioner, asking, "Can you change the city overnight?" While acknowledging the government's order that established HYDRAA, the judge stressed that illegal actions by the agency will not be tolerated. After hearing from both parties, he directed HYDRAA and others to submit their counterarguments, scheduling the next hearing for October 15.

Justice K. Lakshman is presiding over a plea filed by Mohammed Rafi and another petitioner, who claim to be the lawful owners of a property in Sri Krishna Nagar, Kistareddypet Village. The petitioners contend that they obtained the necessary building permits from the authorities before commencing construction. They allege that the Gram Panchayat of Kistareddypet cancelled this permission, leading them to challenge the cancellation in a writ petition. The court subsequently issued an interim direction suspending the notice from the Gram Panchayat.

The petitioners further assert that another notice was issued, claiming that they had constructed the building unlawfully on government land. They provided an explanation in response to this notice. However, they allege that the Tahsildar ignored their explanation and, on a Sunday at 7:30 A.M., arrived at the site with bulldozers, JCBs, and over 50 personnel from the authorities to demolish the entire structure. This action, they argue, violated the court's earlier interim orders. In light of these claims, the judge has ordered the appearance of the Ameenpur Mandal Tahsildar and the HYDRAA Commissioner.