The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Court refuses to stay Chiranjeevi’s meeting

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Court refuses to stay Chiranjeevi’s meeting

J. Venkatesan

Curb only on construction in
the area: judge
“What have been removed are only shrubs and bushes”

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay the public meeting to be addressed by actor Chiranjeevi at Avilala Tank area in Tirupati on August 26 to mark the launch of his new political party.

A three-judge Bench of Justice B.N. Agrawal, Justice H.S. Bedi and Justice G.S. Singhvi declined the plea of the Intellectual Forum to direct the Andhra Pradesh government to withdraw the permission granted to the party on August 8 for holding the meeting.

Senior counsel L. Nageswara Rao, appearing for the applicant said that when the Andhra Pradesh government tried to develop the tank area, the Supreme Court had restrained it from allowing any construction and said the tank should be preserved and had given a series of directions. He said despite the court order, greenery and vegetation in the 176-acre area in and around the tank had been destroyed using bulldozers. He said removal of vegetation would result in irreversible damage and would affect the groundwater table in that area.

Mr. Justice Agrawal pointed out that what the apex court had prohibited was only construction in that area and the order did not say that there should not be any other activity.

He said, “There is no water in that tank. When there is no restriction, what is wrong in using it for public meeting?” Mr. Justice Singhvi told counsel “what have been removed are only shrubs and bushes.” The Chiranjeevi camp heaved a sigh of relief on getting the news that the Supreme Court had allowed the meeting to go on as scheduled.

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