Telangana High Court Takes Action on Children’s Plea to Save Playground from Encroachment. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Anil Kumar took cognizance of the matter, transforming the letter into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and issuing notices to the principal secretaries of municipal administration and revenue departments, along with district authorities
The Telangana High Court has taken a significant step towards safeguarding a children’s playground from encroachment in Adilabad, Telangana. This development came after 23 children from the old Adilabad Housing Board Colony penned a heartfelt letter to the court, seeking protection for their 1.5-acre play area that was under threat from real estate developers and alleged land mafia activities.
The children’s letter, spearheaded by A Deeksha and her 22 peers, highlighted the distressing collusion between municipal officials and realtors, leading to the gradual encroachment of their playground. They pointed out that local municipal commissioner A Sailaja was complicit in allowing over half of the playground area to be overtaken, with parts of it already occupied by a Shiva temple and further encroachments planned.
The plea to the high court was a desperate call to preserve their play area, a sentiment echoed in their words,
“Hence the Honourable Court may be pleased to issue necessary directions to the respondents to protect the park and stop illegal constructions by ordering an inquiry against the officials concerned who are aiding and advising the land grabbers to encroach the public parks and other government lands and to protect the Children’s Park land situated in the old Housing Board Colony Adilabad from encroachments in the interests of justice and to pass appropriate orders.”
Responding to this unusual yet compelling appeal, a bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Anil Kumar took cognizance of the matter, transforming the letter into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and issuing notices to the principal secretaries of municipal administration and revenue departments, along with district authorities. These officials are now required to present their stance on the issue within two weeks, with the case scheduled for further hearing on March 7.
The origins of the dispute trace back to the late 1970s when the old Housing Board Colony was established for the upliftment of downtrodden communities, allocating about 1.5 acres for a children’s park-cum-play area. However, between 2000 and 2004, approximately 30 guntas of this land were encroached upon for the construction of a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Recent months have seen a resurgence in attempts to grab the remaining land for another temple, despite representations from the children’s parents and community elders to the authorities, which went unheeded.
The court’s directive to the official respondents to file an ‘action taken report’ by the next hearing underscores the judiciary’s proactive stance on protecting public spaces and upholding the rights of the community, especially its younger members. Additionally, the municipality’s commissioner has been implicated in the complaint, prompting the court to include her as a party in the case and serve notice.
This case not only highlights the critical issue of land encroachment and the erosion of public spaces but also showcases the power of civic engagement by the youth, demonstrating their capacity to initiate change. As the Telangana High Court moves forward with this case, it sets a precedent for addressing similar issues across the nation, emphasizing the importance of preserving communal lands for public use and the role of the judiciary in safeguarding the interests of the society’s most vulnerable.
