HC Raps Government Over Clearances For Secretariat

The High Court today expressed discontent with the Telangana government for its not submitting any environmental clearance from the Centre for the demolition of the Secretariat buildings and construction of new ones.

Representing the Centre, the Assistant Solicitor General said that he had no data on environmental clearances from the union government.

He urged the court to give him time till next Monday on the issue.

Advocate General B S Prasad informed the court that the government had obtained permission from the GHMC for demolition of the buildings in the Secretariat complex.

He said that environmental permission was required for the construction of new buildings and not for the demolition. He added that the government would get the environmental clearance from the Centre to construct the new buildings.

The court observed that the officials were trying to be smart instead of giving complete details. It also again expressed displeasure at the state government for not submitting the details of the cabinet decision on the new Secretariat and the demolition of the existing buildings.

The court then posted the case to July 17 and sought environmental clearance details from the government by then.

The case is being heard upon a petition by P L Vishweshwar Rao, who urged the court to prevent the environmental pollution being caused by the demolition works in the Secretariat which he claimed was against norms.