AP govt directed not to lay road through sanctuary

A two judge bench of the High Court at Hyderabad comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale and Justice P Naveen Rao on Wednesday directed the Andhra Pradesh government not to proceed with the construction of the tar road across the Krishna Wild Life Sanctuary.

The bench took on file a writ plea filed by the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society complaining of the action of the government as being in violation of multiple laws relating to wild life and environment protection. Counsel S Niranjan Reddy said this was a clear case where the court must summon the authorities for proceeding in a high-handed manner with the construction work.

When the government pleader pointed out that there was already a cart track and the government was only improvising it in view of the forthcoming Krishna PUrshkaram, the petitioner’s counsel produced photographs that the official version was not factually correct.

The bench on a detailed hearing of the matter issued the interim orders restraining the laying of the tar road through the sanctuary.