Hyderabad, Nov.15 (NSS): M. Padmanabha Reddy, president of Forum for Good Governance (FGG) has written a letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on constitution of Municipal building Tribunal and implementation of the High Court Order in W.P. (PIL) No. 113 of 2019.
Unauthorized constructions are seriously affecting the planned development of the cities in the State causing serious problems to the community at large. Whenever the municipal authorities issue notices for stopping the unauthorized constructions, the concerned persons are approaching courts and getting stay orders. In order to control the unauthorized constructions at the initial stage itself and for speedy disposal of cases relating to buildings, the State Government in 2016 had constituted Municipal Building Tribunal, but due to not appointing chairperson and Technical members, the Tribunal remained on paper only.
As there was no action from Government, Forum for Good Governance has filed PIL in High Court in 2019 for appointment of Chairperson and Technical members. The PIL was disposed on April 27, 2022 as the Government Pleader assured the Court that the Tribunal shall certainly be constituted within four weeks. Unfortunately, it is two-and-a-half years over, there is no action from Government to make the Tribunal functional by appointing Chairperson and Technical members. It amounts to contempt of Court.
Recently, the Government of Telangana constituted HYDRA to control unauthorized, illegal constructions. HYDRA started demolishing illegal and unauthorized structures, leading to serious political controversy and matter was dragged to Courts. Had the Tribunal was constituted immediately after the Act was passed in 2016, today there would not have been any need for HYDRA. For constitution of Tribunal, we have made number of representations but there is no response from the Government.
Forum for Good Governance requests the Chief Minister to take immediate steps to appoint Chairperson, Technical members and other supporting staff and make Municipal building Tribunal functional. High Court has already suggested the names of three retired judges for appointment as Chairperson of Tribunal as such there should not be any problem to constitute the tribunal.
