HC issues notices to Govt, Natco Pharma, Microsoft, NDL, Pokarna Granite
PNS|Hyderabad
The High Court issued notices to the Telangana Government and four companies while responding to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by 57 farmers on Friday under the guidance of senior Congress leader Bakka Judson against Natco Pharma, Microsoft, NDL and Pokarna Granite for encroaching on a lake and a road creating pollution.
The Court posted the next hearing to August 30th.
Later, speaking to the media, Bakka Judson said that farmer Bandaru Shekaraiah and 56 other farmers of Mekaguda village in Nandigam Mandal, Rangareddy District filed a PIL(WP(PIL) 49/2023) in the High Court against Natco Pharma, Microsoft, NDL, and Pokarna Granite alleging that these companies were grabbing a lake and a road and causing air and groundwater pollution.
Due to the illegal activities of the companies, the five villages of Mekaguda, Inumulnarva, Nandigama, Pittelaguda, Sanghiguda, Kolvai Thanda, JP Darga and nearly 20,000 villagers are suffering from diseases of the lungs and cancer as these companies were releasing pollutants into the environment.
Mekaguda Sarpanch Chintalapalli Pandu, Ranga Reddy district farmers Bandaru Shekaraiah, Thondupally Narsimha Reddy, Ennam Venkat Reddy, Mashook, Bhanu Chander, Balu Mahender, Sheshank, Thakali Bikshapathi and others approached the High Court.
Judson said the PIL requested the HC “to issue an order declaring the refusal of the respondents to remove illegal encroachments and to protect the Tungakunta Lake in survey No: 886 and Naksha Road in survey NOs. 856, 858, 878, 880, 884, 883, 882, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 897, 898, 899, 900, 902, and 904 of Mekaguda village in the Nandigama Mandal of Ranga Reddy District pursuant to the joint inspection and order issued by the Pollution Control Board as illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional violating the principles of natural justice and Section 23(1) to 5 of the Walta Act and Contrary to Article 14 (21) and 300(A) of the Constitution and to direct the official respondents to remove the illegal encroachment of the Tungakunta Lake and Naksha Road and to protect the Tungakunta Lake and Naksha Road in survey NOs. 856, 858, 878, 880, 884, 883, 882, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 897, 898, 899, 900, 902, and 904 of Mekaguda Village in the Nandigama Mandal of Ranga Reddy District duly directing the respondents to take penal action or action as per the law against Respondents 28 to 31 for not following the guidelines and licensing conditions.”
