SC allows housing complexes near Tirupati temple

New Delhi, Feb 23 (UNI) The Supreme Court today allowed the Housing Construction Board to go ahead with the construction of houses for lower and middle income groups on two water tank sites, near Tirupati temple, Andhra Pradesh.

A bench comprising Justice H K Sema and Justice A R Lakshmanan accepted the expert committee report which said of the two water tanks near the temple complex, in the form of huge lakes, the one in Avilala complex has dried up while another in Peruru was only half-filled.

The judgement came on a PIL filed by Tirupati-based Intellectual Forum, which has challenged the construction of housing complexes on the site of water tanks in the vicinity of Tirupati temple.

The apex court, however, directed Central Groundwater Board to explore the possibility of harvesting rain water without damaging the environment as it must take precedence over housing and there should be no borewell or tubewell within the vicinity of highly reverred Tirupati temple.

The writ was filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the grounds that construction of housing complexes was violative of the right of the community to have tanks maintained for posterity. The High Court had, however, dismissed the writ holding that since no tanks existed they cannot be revived.

UNI AKS/SC YA DS1115