Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to clarify whether he holds the authority to grant permissions for blasting rocks and hills, and if so, whether such approvals are being issued only after gathering opinions from other concerned departments.
Court questions police commissioner’s role in granting blast permits
During Tuesday’s hearing, September 16, the High Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Apercsh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin observed that a proper explanation must be provided on the matter.
The case stems from a letter written by a High Court judge in 2024 regarding late-night blasting activities behind Nyayavihar in Jubilee Hills.
The court treated the letter as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and continued its hearing.
Commissioner has power with expert consultation: AAG
Additional Advocate General (AAG) Mohammed Imran Khan argued that the Police Commissioner indeed has the authority to grant such permissions.
He informed the bench that approvals are granted after obtaining the views of the Joint Chief Controller of Explosives.
Bench seeks wider review process
At this stage, the bench remarked that merely issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) is not sufficient. It questioned whether the authorities verify how explosives are procured, whether experts are handling them, and if other safety aspects are examined before granting clearance.
The court expressed dissatisfaction that, despite asking for these specific details in earlier hearings, no response had been given.
The bench directed the Police Commissioner to provide a response within 24 hours. However, the AAG explained that while the Mines Department had already filed a counter, the commissioner could not do so since he was not initially made a respondent in the case.
He assured the court that permits are issued only after examining all regulations and requested additional time to submit complete details.
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