In an unexpected case, the Telangana government has decided to declare GO-111 null and void. Pragati Bhavan was today’s venue for a ministerial meeting chaired by KCR. During the three-hour talks, several key decisions were taken by the Cabinet. KCR spoke to the media after the meeting. He declared that the Cabinet had decided to abolish the G.O. KCR clarified that a committee headed by CS will be formed soon.
What is G.O 111? Why did it originate in the first place?
By 1996, GO 111 was brought in to protect the twin reservoirs, with the aim of assessing the development of Hyderabad and preventing drinking water problems. About 32 lakh acres of land is under the purview of this G.O, and all of this is spread over 84 villages. Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar were built by Moksha Gundam Vishweshwaraya in 1908 in the view of consistent floods in Hyderabad. It is planned to provide fresh water to the whole city just with only pipes. This step was considered historic-looking at the 400-year-old history of the city. However, the intention of not polluting the drinking water, and fighting the air coming from the western hemisphere which keeps changing the climate making it the most unique climate condition when compared with all other cities, and to be careful with any gigantic constructions in the city, the G.O 111 was brought into the picture.
Is it a loss to remove the GO?
KCR finally announced that the G.O 111 will be abolished forever. Experts say that the region will find it difficult to cope with this 26-year development if the same happens. It is said that if 111 is lifted, Hyderabad will have a difficult time hanging on to its lung-like reservoirs. According to 111, no buildings should be constructed on agricultural lands in the 84 villages spanning the premises of the city. Layouts could not exist by any chance. To control these aspects, the check dams and lift irrigation works were handed over to the authority of the local bodies without undertaking them. Although it is clear in the GO that constructions cannot be carried out up to 100 feet above the land from Usman Sagar to Asif Nagar, they are still encroaching on these lands and doing the projects. There are speculations that the political leaders are the main reason behind these activities. Some leaders have been promising to abolish the G.O, as many of the illegal structures that violated GO 111 were also structures of celebrities. KCR is also one of them, and now he did what he always wanted to do.
Who benefits from the lifting of the GO?
KCR says that the locals will benefit a lot from the cancellation of this GO. But experts say the real benefit goes to the people who do illegal activities, the real estate gang. However, it must be noted that abolishing the 111 GO is not an easy process. According to the Supreme Court ruling, as per the GO, no illegal constructions should be reported in 84 village areas except Grama Kantam.
The Supreme Court gave a clear verdict on the Civil Appeal Petition in the year 2000 itself. 2,500 cases against those who violated that judgment are pending in the High Court under contempt of court. So far nobody raised any questions about these cases, and it will take at least 5 years of trial in the courts. On the other hand, there are many illegal structures within the land assigned in the 111 G.O. There are allegations that some of them also belong to KCR’s family members. Criticisms are heard that KCR is trying to mislead the people about this as a whole.
