Hyderabad: Over 12,000 cases pending against GHMC

GHMC Commissioner directs officials to follow court orders — GHMC Commissioner Lokesh Kumar discussing at review meeting at GHMC head office on Friday in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is stuck in more than 12,000 cases for years. And these cases are pending in various courts in the country.

According to official data, 8,2424 is pending in Telangana high court followed by 3,317 cases in city civil courts, 317 in the Lokayukta, 121 in the human rights council, 21 in the Supreme Court of India and 21 in National Green Tribunal.

The civic body is struggling around this litigation in various courts. The majority of the cases are land issues and public interest litigation and fee conflicts. During a recent review meeting convened by GHMC commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar, stated that those counters were still pending in several of these cases.

Many development projects have been delayed as a result of stay orders issued by the courts several years ago. According to The Times of India report, a senior official from GHMC stated that some cases are pending for more than 25 years. Many of them are linked to encroachment on government property, and once displaced; they would make their claim on the land.

Trade licensing fee disputes are the second most common kind of litigation that GHMC is dealing with currently, where the pendency rate in these cases has resulted in a significant loss to the government.

After analyzing the cases, the GHMC commissioner assured that counters were filed in over 5,000 litigations. The majority of cases are linked to the town planning department, followed by the health and sanitation, engineering, advertisement, revenue, and land acquisition wings, according to the data released by the GHMC.

A significant number of contempt of court cases are also pending, and the GHMC is to blame for the delay because they have neglected to submit counters for many years. According to GHMC officials, lawyers who defend these matters on behalf of the GHMC are paid Rs 15,000 per month and 5,000 per case for high court lawyers.

Lawyers charge their own fees when it comes to Supreme Court proceedings. GHMC, on the other hand, is now eager to lift stay orders in different land acquisition and other property issues so that long-delayed projects can be completed.