Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday, June 8, directed private companies to file counter-affidavits on the allocation of temple land and other parcels in Sitarampur village in Shabad mandal of Ranga Reddy district, which were allegedly handed over to them at nominal prices.
A bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin issued the directions while hearing a public interest litigation filed by social activist Perala Shekhar Rao, who has challenged the acquisition of 1,148 acre of land in Sitarampur.
Petitioner questions legality of temple land acquisition
Counsel for the petitioner contended that acquiring temple land under the Land Acquisition Act was legally untenable and liable to be set aside by the court. He submitted that the land had been allocated to the Telangana Government Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) with the approval of the Endowments Department.
“Government departments cannot approve the acquisition of temple lands. Such lands should only be held in trust, and if they are to be utilised, they should be auctioned and the proceeds used exclusively for temple development,” the counsel submitted.
The petitioner’s counsel further alleged that despite the land being worth crores of rupees, TGIIC had allocated it for a mere Rs 30 lakh, of which only half went to the temple and the remainder was distributed among encroachers.
State defends process, cites Rs 178 crore compensation
The state, however, contested the challenge. Additional Advocate General T Rajanikanth Reddy told the bench that the acquisition process had been completed in accordance with procedure and that compensation of Rs 178 crore had already been disbursed.
“The government has introduced a land acquisition policy as part of its industrial development framework, and allocations were made in keeping with that policy,” he submitted.
Senior counsel K Vivek Reddy, appearing for Olectra Greentech Limited, one of the private companies named in the matter, argued that industrial units had been established on the allocated land and were providing employment to hundreds of workers.
The court has now asked the private companies to place their responses on record.
