A Division Bench of the Hyderabad High Court comprising Justice V. Rama Subramanian and Justice N. Balayogi on Tuesday ordered notices to be served on more than 30 professional colleges situated within the prohibited zone of GO 111 around drinking water lakes of Hyderabad city.
The Bench was dealing with a public interest litigation filed by Quality Foundation.
The petitioner complained that though there were prohibitory orders, these technical institutions got approval from the All India Council for Technical Education.
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Authorities of State and Central Governments could not have issued any proceedings which would facilitate working of such institutions.
These colleges were housed in huge concrete buildings affecting inflows and were major sources of pollution and effluents, the petitioner submitted.
The courts had held that no polluting activity was permissible within a 10-km radius of the Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs. These two lakes are major drinking water sources.
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The case was adjourned for three weeks to enable the respondents to file counter.