Do not demolish houses in Sangareddy dist: High Court

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the revenue authorities of Sangareddy district not to demolish the houses allotted to handloom workers in Andole mandal and ordered status quo to be maintained for a period of eight weeks.

Justice S V Bhatt was passing this interim order in a petition by Madhunala Kishtamma and 50 others, all residents of Andole village, urging the court to protect them from the revenue officials to not demolish their houses illegally. They also annexed photographs of the demolished houses along with the petition.

The handloom workers formed a cooperative society and the Housing corporation of erstwhile AP state allotted them land to build houses.These houses were constructed by the state in 1987.



Loans were provided to them which have been already repaid. Receipts of such payments were submitted to the court.

Petitioners’ counsel P Mallesh brought to the notice of the court that two houses were already demolished by private contract personnel and that this site is required for building a hostel for the Girls Polytechnic College. “No notices were served nor they were given any opportunity of being heard,” he pointed out. 

Government counsel Sridevi contended that the petition is premature as the construction of hostel is yet to take place. At this stage, the judge asked her to see the photographs of the houses demolished. The judge directed the government to file a counter affidavit in the matter.