Court summons GHMC official over encroachments

The PIL bench of the High Court at Hyderabad on Monday summoned the Deputy Commissioner GHMC to appear before it and explain steps taken by the GHMC for removal of encroachments after an order passed by the court in December. The bench of acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice SV Bhatt expressed displeasure at the failure of the civic authorities for taking stringent steps to remove encroachments on footpaths.

The bench was dealing with a petition by Laxminivas Agarwal, a resident of Mahboobgunj of the city for removal of illegal encroachments and unauthorized constructions on the road margins at Siddiambar Bazar and Mahboobgunj areas of the city. The court had in December directed removal of encroachments. In the present application the petitioner complained that even after the orders there are encroachments on the said pavements and no action is being taken.