By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In a setback to the Telangana government, the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday stayed the land acquisition for the Green Pharma City project in Ranga Reddy district.



Justice M S Ramachandra Rao was granting the interim stay in a writ petition filed by D Anthamma and two others from Meerkhanpet village, Kandukur mandal in Ranga Reddy district challenging the notification issued by the joint collector of Ranga Reddy district on Sept 23, 2016 seeking to acquire 314 acres of land in Survey No 112 of Meerkhanpet.

The petitioners submitted that the state will alienate 314 acres of land to the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) for setting up Green Pharma City project in the region. Petitioners’ counsel NS Arjun Kumar said that his clients were poor farmers having the assigned land and the state is now planning to take back this land for Green Pharma.

He brought to the notice of the court that the notification was issued by the authorities by invoking government order number 45 issued by the industries and commerce department. The intention behind this GO is to frustrate the orders of the High Court that had already stayed all further proceedings related to resumption of the same 493 acres of land in Survey No 112 on August 17 this year. The court in another related case stayed operation of the GO 45 on September 14. Now, out of the total 493 acres, the authorities have issued notification for resuming 314 acres, he pointed out. Arjun Kumar submitted that the authorities have conveyed their intention through this notification to pay between `7.7 lakh and `8 lakh per acre pending adjudication of the matter. This is nothing but contempt of court, he argued.



After hearing the case, the judge took serious note of the developments and sought to know from the state as to why the official notification issued by the authorities has contained the names of the petitioners as well. How the authorities could do this? the judge questioned the government counsel. While adjourning the case, Justice Ramachandra Rao stayed the land acquisition process until further orders and directed the state to file its reply in the matter.