Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has strongly criticized government officials for a repeated pattern of granting construction permissions and then issuing demolition notices. Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy expressed serious concerns about the wasteful practice of:
- Allowing illegal constructions
- Issuing permits for unauthorized structures
- Later demolishing these same buildings
- Paying compensation using public money
The judge suggested that officials should face consequences for their actions, potentially through filing criminal cases against those who approve illegal constructions. Also confiscation of officials’ personal properties and recovering compensation amounts from responsible officials.
The specific case involves Sachin and two other petitioners who received construction permits and then demolition notices for houses in the Mangarasikunta area of Rangareddy district. The court questioned how officials initially granted permission for what they now claim are illegal structures.
While supporting water body conservation, the court criticized the officials’ inconsistent approach. It directed officials to clearly define the flood line (FTL) and buffer zone, issue proper legal notices, provide a 15-day notice period for affected residents and allow petitioners to submit relevant documents.
