HC warns babus over disappearing footpaths

Expressing concern over disappearance of footpaths in the name of road widening and unauthorised encroachments by street vendors, the Telangana High Court on Thursday warned the authorities concerned that it would take a serious view of the violations. Making it clear that it will monitor the issue, the court directed the civic authorities concerned to take steps to ensure there are no encroachments on footpaths and to make them available for the pedestrians. Further, the court directed them to conduct a survey where footpaths have been removed and take steps to rebuild them, and to furnish before it the zone-wise details of areas where the unauthorised encroachments took place. The court issued notices to the government authorities concerned to file their counter affidavit on the issue. 

A division bench of the court passed this order in the PIL filed by advocate M Thirumal Rao complaining of the authorities’ failure to construct footpaths in GHMC as per the standards of Institute of Urban Transport (IUT), Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, 2012. The bench issued notices to the respondents - Under Secretary to Ministry of Urban Development, State Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries to R&B, MAUD, GHMC, and HMDA Commissioners to file counter affidavits on the issue and posted the matter to April 15 for further hearing.

TS told to file counter on Hill Fort Palace revamp

Questioning the authorities concerned as to why they have not taken steps for the preservation, conservation and maintenance of Hill Fort Palace, which was notified as a heritage building situated in the midst of capital city, the Telangana High Court on Thursday granted a last opportunity to the State government and its Tourism Corporation for filing a counter affidavit on the issue. 

A division bench of the court, comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, is dealing with the PIL filed by Hyderabad Heritage Trust, represented by its founder and managing trustee Deepak Kant Gir, with a plea to permit the trust to immediately take up protection or preservation/conservation and maintenance of the Hill Fort Palace. After hearing both sides, the bench granted four weeks time to the State government and Tourism Corporation to file counter affidavits on the issue and a rejoinder by the petitioner in four weeks thereafter, and posted the matter to June 3 for further hearing.

Centre, TS told to reply on RTE

The Telangana High Court on Thursday issued notices to the State and Central governments for filing counter affidavits in the PIL alleging non-implementation of Section 29 of the Right to Education Act, 1982, in all private and unaided schools in the State where the medium of instruction is English for classes I to VI.  The court directed the petitioner to implead the private unaided schools as respondents in the case. 

A division bench of the Court passed this order while dealing with the PIL filed by Gareeb Guide NGO, seeking direction to the authorities concerned to implement Section 7 and 29 of the RTE Act in all private and unaided schools.  Petitioner’s counsel DV Rao submitted that the medium of instruction was Telugu in government schools and English in  private schools. A large number of students who are studying in government schools will be affected during competitive examinations if the Act is not implemented in private schools, he added.

After hearing the case, the bench issued notices to the respondents - secretary to Ministry of Human Resource Department, State Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to School Education, for filing the counter affidavit.