NGT notice to Telangana minister K T Rama Rao over ‘illegal’ farmhouse

New Delhi, June 5: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao for allegedly constructing a farmhouse illegally in the catchment area of Osman Sagar lake on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Congress MP from Malkajgiri A Revanth Reddy had filed a petition in the NGT stating that Rao had built a luxury farmhouse with a swimming pool in 25 acres in the prohibited bio-conservation zone in the catchment area of Osman Sagar lake, near Janwada village of Ranga Reddy district, The Indian Express reported. 

Reddy stated that the construction obstructed the natural rainwater channel to the lake. In his petition he stated that the construction was illegal as it was in violation of GO 111 issued in 1996 in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh banning construction and development activities on the catchment area of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar lakes which provide drinking water to Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

In 2001, the Supreme Court had also banned any kind of construction in the area while dealing with GO 111 issued on March 3, 1996. In December 2018, the NGT South Zone prohibited all construction and development activity in areas falling under GO 111. Reddy stated in his petition that the farmhouse allegedly built by K T Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was in violation of all these orders.

The NGT also issued notices to Telangana Government, Pollution control board, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, Irrigation Department, and Hyderabad Lakes and Water Bodies Management Circle. 

The NGT has also directed that a fact-finding committee be formed comprising officials of irrigation department, commissioners of GHMC and HMDA and officials of Lakes and Water Bodies department and study the constructions and ascertain if it violated the GO 111 orders, and submit a report within two months.

GO 111 prohibits establishment of industries, hotels, residential complexes in a 10 km radius surrounding the Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar lakes to protect the catchment area.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ngt-notice-to-telangana-minister-k-t-rama-rao-over-illegal-farmhouse-6444179/