IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) MONDAY, THE TWENTY NINTH DAY OF NOVEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND FOUR PRESENT THE HON'BLE SRI DEVINDER GUPTA,THE CHIEF JUSTICE and THE HON'BLE MS JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION NO : 26993 of 2001 Between: News Item published in Deccan Chronicle English Daily News Paper, dated 24-12-2001 under the Caption “Peoples’ Organisation threaten direct action” ..... PETITIONERS AND 1. The District Collector, Mahabubnagar District, Mahaboobnagar. 2. The Mandal Revenue Officer, Wanaparthy, Mahabubnagar Dist. 3. the Revenue Divisional Officer, Pebbair, Mahabubnagar Dist. 4. The Sarpanch, Srirangapur Gram Panchayat, Srirangapur, Wanaparthy Mandal, Mahabubnagar District. 5. The Superintendent of Police, Mahabubnagar District, Mahabubnagar. 6. The Director General of Police, Govt. of A.P., Hyderabad. 7. The Secretary to Government of A.P., Panchayat Raj Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the news item appearing in the Deccan Chronicle English Daily dated 24-12-2001 under the caption “Peoples’ Organisation threaten direct action,” the High Court will be pleased to issue an order, direction or a writ more particularly, one in the nature of writ of mandamus calling for the records and remarks from the respondents herein in and connected to mixing of pesticide in a water tank in the dalit wada of Srirangapur village of Wanaparthy Mandal, Mahabubnagar District by some miscreants and to direct the respondents herein not to recur such incidents in future and to supply water to all the areas from one over head tank. Counsel for the Petitioner:NEWS ITEM Counsel for the Respondent No.1 to 3 and 7: GP FOR REVENUE Counsel for the Respondent No.4: None appeared. Counsel for the Respondent Nos.5 and 6: The Govt. Pleader for Home. The Court made the following : ORAL ORDER: (per the Hon’ble the Chief Justice) A newspaper item in Deccan Chronicle under the caption “Peoples’ organization threaten direct action” dated 24-12-2001 was treated as Public Interest Litigation. The newspaper report inter alia stated that some miscreants had mixed pesticide in a water tank in Dalitwada in Srirangapur of Wanaparthy Mandal, Mahabubnagar District and the dalits were afraid of using the water after the incident. Even though such incidents were happening, the Government is not taking any action. Affidavit in reply is filed by C.Mallikarjuna Chowdhary, Sub Inspector of Police stating that investigation into Cr.No.103 of 2001 relating to the incident of mixing insecticide in drinking water tank, Dalitwada was conducted. During the investigation it came to light that one B.Venkateswara Reddy, an auto driver, had mixed insecticide. He was having land dispute with the Sarpanch and three other dalits of the Dalitwada. The accused was produced before the Judicial Magistrate. After this incident, a peace committee comprising 20 villagers was appointed and three members of the said Committee were regularly patrolling the locality every night on shift basis to avoid recurrence of such like incidents. In view of the reply, no further direction deserves to be issued in this petition and it stands closed. ___________________ DEVINDER GUPTA, CJ 29-11-2004 ___________ G.ROHINI, J Tvr To 1. The District Collector, Mahabubnagar District, Mahaboobnagar. 2. The Mandal Revenue Officer, Wanaparthy, Mahabubnagar Dist. 3. the Revenue Divisional Officer, Pebbair, Mahabubnagar Dist. 4. The Sarpanch, Srirangapur Gram Panchayat, Srirangapur, Wanaparthy Mandal, Mahabubnagar District. 5. The Superintendent of Police, Mahabubnagar District, Mahabubnagar. 6. The Director General of Police, Govt. of A.P., Hyderabad. 7. The Secretary to Government of A.P., Panchayat Raj Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad. 8. 2 CCs to the Govt. Pleader for Revenue, High Court Buildings, Hyderabad (OUT). 9. 2 CCs to the Govt. Pleader for Home, High Court buildings, Hyderabad (OUT). 10. 2 CD copies.