Statues, Flexis on roads irks court

The Hyderabad high court has reprimanded both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states for not implementing their verdict on removal of unauthorized statues, flexis, cut-outs, hoardings and banners of political leaders and celebrities in public places.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure at the status reports submitted by the governments of Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh.

Dealing with a petition by S. Murali Krishna of Prakasam district in 2008 challenging the digging of pits for a statue by encroaching 15-ft space of the road leading from the National Highway No. 5 to the villages of Mukthinuthalapadu and Gudimillapadu, the court gave 15 days' time for both the states to remove unauthorised installations.

Telangana A-G K. Ramakrishna Reddy said that followers of political leaders, celebrities and VIPs were resorting to unauthorised installations. The bench asked AP A-G P. Venugopal to come out with facts with regard to Rajahmundry City and initiate steps to remove unauthorised installations if any.