TRS Hails High Court Stay Order On GO 123 Quashing

Telangana Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao today welcomed the High Court order staying a single-judge's order quashing GO 123, after reviewing a plea filed by the State government.

Speaking to media persons at the Secretariat, the minister expressed his pleasure at the division bench's order staying the GO's setting aside.

The government had promised the court that it would provide more benefits to the displaced persons, farmers and others who would be affected by the Mallanna Sagar reservoir, he said.

"We promised the court that we would provide better compensation to the evacuees under GO 123, and will submit other details sought by the court on Thursday," he said.

Rao also slammed the Opposition for persistently attacking KCR over the issue.

"The Opposition is afraid of its own future in Telangana, and is therefore attempting to malign the government. The government, as always, is committed to providing more benefits than the Land Acquisition Act 2013, which is the reason GO 123 was brought in," he said.

The minister said that the government had submitted an affidavit to the division bench detailing the benefits of GO 123.

He promised that the government would acquire land only when necessary, and as per norms.