SC asks HC to hear plea opposing power line on school land

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Karnataka High Court to hear a plea by an education society, questioning the laying of a high tension wire and erecting towers on the land in Bengaluru, where it runs a school.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan asked the Karnataka Education Society, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, to argue its case before the high court, which has fixed the matter for consideration on December 6.

"We impress upon the high court to hear the matter," the bench said, as Rohatgi contended that the high court has not been taking up its plea.

"We have genuine apprehension as by the time the high court considers the matter, the high tension wire would already be laid," the counsel submitted.

The society had objected to the laying of the high tension line, saying it posed a risk to the school, which has  4,000 students, and others.

When the society had approached the high court, a single judge bench asked them to appear before the Central Electricity Authority.

The Power Grid Corporation of India, which was laying the high tension wire, however, filed an appeal before the division bench, which had ex-parte stayed the single judge order. Now, the company is  firm on going ahead with its project, and the writ petition for shifting of the high tension line filed by the society may become infructous, the counsel said.

A similar plea filed by a group of parents, led by Deepa S, for shifting of the high tension wire from the school land at Hessaraghatta hobli, Bengaluru North taluk, was dismissed as withdrawn.