The Telangana High Court on Tuesday issued notices to State government in a PIL petition over creating proper drainage system in Hyderabad to ensure lives are not lost during inundation and floods due to heavy rains.
A Bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N. Tukarmji had taken up an email sent by a citizen over the tragic death of a nine-year-old girl Mounika who slipped into a manhole in Kalasiguda as a PIL petition. The email also explained the death of another six-year-old boy Vivek after falling into a pit and getting drowned. The citizen wanted a proper drainage system for the public in the State capital.
The Bench issued notices to Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Principal Secretary and HMDA Director and directed them to file counter affidavits explaining measures taken to ensure the city had a robust drainage system and people did not become vulnerable to heavy rains.
In a separate matter, the Bench closed a PIL petition seeking installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations in the State. When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Government Pleader for Home Roopender told the Bench that Supreme Court was hearing a similar matter filed as Special Leave Petition.
The Government Pleader explained to the Bench that out of the 774 police stations in the State, 369 had been equipped with surveillance cameras. Efforts were on to install cameras in the remaining police stations. Since the apex court was adjudicating the matter filed as SLP, the Bench closed the PIL petition.
