The Rayalaseema Saguneeti Sadhana Samithi (RSSS) has filed a contempt petition against the State government and the Kurnool district officials for allegedly attempting to locate the Collectorate of the proposed Nandyal district on the premises of the Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) in Nandyal.
The buildings of the RARS, which were proposed to be alienated for setting up a new medical college but temporarily stayed by the High Court, were inspected by the district officials recently.
Meanwhile, arrangements to locate the Collectorate of the new district are in full swing to meet the April 2 deadline.
The samithi had approached the High Court in November 2020 opposing the government’s decision to take away 50 acres belonging to the premier agriculture research laboratory established in 1906, along with the buildings in it, following which the court had ordered on February 3, 2001, that status quo be maintained.
In the contempt petition filed four days ago, which had come up for hearing on Wednesday, the petitioners urged the court to issue notices to the district administration and the State-level officials for alleged violation of the court orders.
‘Transit Collectorate’
When contacted, District Collector P. Koteswara Rao said the RARS buildings were proposed to be used temporary and that the transit Collectorate would be set up there for the time being, for which permission had been obtained from Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University and Associate Director of Research N.C. Venkateswarulu (station head).
“I personally convened two meetings with the 14 employees on the RARS premises, and all of them expressed their willingness to share some rooms in their buildings, while continuing their regular work,” Mr. Koteswara Rao said.
Having the offices of the District Collector, Joint Collector, and District Revenue Officer in the government buildings of the RARS would not disturb their activity in any way, he added.
