Document Fragment View
Fragment Information
Showing contexts for: parks table in C. Kulsum Reddy And Ors. vs State Of A.P. on 25 January, 2002Matching Fragments
1. This writ petition has been filed in public interest by five persons challenging the validity of G.O.Ms.No. 419, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (ML) Department, dated 30-6-1998. By this G.O the Government laid down a scheme under which unauthorised constructions made till 30th June, 1998 could be regularised. The petitioners claim to be persons to whom the environment was dear. The petitioner No. 1 is a retired Reader in Political Science from Zakir Hussain College, New Delhi. She is a member of 'the Society for Preservation of Environment and Quality of Life' (hereinafter referred to as 'SPEQL')- She is also a life member of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (hereinafter referred to as 1NTACH). She is also member of the Society to save Rocks, Hyderabad. The second petitioner is a retired officer of Indian Administrative Service. He retired prematurely while he was working as Vice-Chairman of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority. He is also a member of SPEQL and INTACH. He is President of Shanti Foundation which is dedicated to the propagation of Gandhian philosophy. He is also author of 'Indian Metropolis: Urbanisation, Planning and Management published in 1987. He also wrote a book titled "The Last Nizam' in 1992. He has also authored 'Hyderabad under Solar Jung' and 'Latin American Integration'. He is also engaged in editing a book titled 'Gandhi in 21st century'. He is also President for Centre for Deccan Studies. He had submitted a report to the UN Centre for Human Settlements in Nairobi on the status of environment of Hyderabad in 1996. The third petitioner is also member of SPEQL and INTACH. He joined Indian Administrative Service in 1959. He also took early retirement. He was Joint Secretary in the Government of India at the time of his retirement. He is Chairman of the A.P. State Committee of World wide fund for Nature. He is President of Anjana Foundation which is a registered trust dedicated in identifying and encouraging the needy students for granting scholarships. The fourth petitioner is also a retired officer of Indian Administrative Service. He was Secretary, Environment and Forest, Government of India at the time of his retirement. He is a member of a Government of Andhra Pradesh organization named 'the Environment Protecting Training and Research Institute, Hyderabad (EPTRI). He is also a consultant to the Bangkok based UN Environment Programme. He is Director of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development located in Khatmandu. The petitioner No.5 is a faculty member in 'Centre for Economic and Social Studies' (CESS). He claims to have written articles on Urbanisation and Environment and also displacement of persons under the dams. He claims that his articles had been published by various prestigious journals. Thus, the petitioners claim that they have been making efforts to create a healthy atmosphere for better and cleaner environment. Some of the petitioners had submitted a Memorandum to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in 1997 with regard to the floor area ratio. They contended that power of Government to relax floor area ratio and to condone violations was not in the interests of environment. They also claim to have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister on 5-8-1998. They submitted that, at present the city of Hyderabad is reeling under various problems like 'Heat island' effect, non-availability of water and power, absence of lungs spaces and places for children to play, traffic congestion, growth of slums, accumulation of urban wastes, over flowing sewerages, air pollution, water pollution, non-availability of parking places and depletion of ground water table. They submitted that, inspite of all these difficulties and inspite of their memorandums having been given to the Chief Minister, the impugned order was issued by which unauthorised constructions were sought to be regularized on payment of fee. It is further submitted that violations of laws were sought to be condoned and illegal constructions regularised without even studying its effects on the overall quality of life in Hyderabad. They also submitted the following date in the writ petition :