The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the State government to file a counter affidavit, explaining the rationale behind construction of a guest house in the high-security zone atop Kapuluppada in Visakhapatnam, and asked it not to axe any more trees there.
While hearing a petition filed by the Amaravati Parirakshana Joint Action Committee, represented by Gadde Tirupathi Rao, the High Court issued direction not to cut down trees in the 30-acre site.
The government had already submitted an affidavit before the Supreme Court, taking objection to the manner in which the High Court had been issuing directions and “taking over the Executive functions of the State and intervening in matters as small as construction of a guest house in Visakhapatnam.”
The State government said the guest house was being constructed to provide accommodation to the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, judges, Union Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers and Ministers during their visit to the city.
A JAC petition challenged the State government’s move to construct the guest house, wherein it contended that it would entail an expenditure of ₹1,000 crore and also jeopardise the safety of the Greyhounds Commandos.
