VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh high court on Wednesday declined to stay demolitions being carried out by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) in coastal regulation zone (CRZ-1) area near Bheemunipatnam.
The high court directed GVMC not to yield to political pressure or considerations and ensure all illegal constructions are removed from the ecologically sensitive area.
The court had earlier directed GVMC to take steps to remove all illegal constructions in CRZ-1 area after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Jana Sena corporator P Murthy Yadav.
Following the court’s orders, GVMC officials issued notices to Neha Reddy, daughter of YSRCP Raja Sabha MP V Vijaysai Reddy, for making illegal construction on the beach. The high court earlier declined to give interim relief to Neha Reddy.
Arguing on her behalf, senior counsel Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy said construction was done with all permissions in CRZ-2 area, not in CRZ-1.
He said without including them as a party respondent in the PIL, the petitioner obtained interim orders. The allegation made in the PIL that the construction is in CRZ-1 is false, he argued, adding GVMC officials are demolishing construction and have even issued notices for recovery of costs for demolition.
Sudhakar Reddy said that a petition challenging the notices for demolition is pending before a single judge of HC. As the petition is yet to be decided, he sought interim orders to stay demolitions.
However, the HC bench headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Cheemalapati Ravi observed that GVMC is demolishing illegal structures in CRZ area as there are no interim orders refraining it from doing so.
The bench also rejected the argument of Sudhakar Reddy that the construction was made with all permissions in CRZ-2. The bench suggested that the senior counsel look at the photographs before arguing, observing the house of Neha Reddy appears to be in high tide zone. The division bench also told him to go before the single judge on the issue of permissions.
When the bench asked for status report on removal of constructions as directed earlier, special govt pleader S Pranathi said notices have been issued to Neha Reddy for submission of required documents to prove her ownership. However, she has not responded to the notices till now. The HC posted the matter for hearing to Sept 25.
