Telangana govt can't use TTD funds for road work, says Hyderabad high court

HYDERABAD: Wondering how the state can direct a temple to dole out its funds for a road development work, the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday stayed the release of 10 crore from the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam(TTD) funds for beautifying the road from Renigunta Airport to Kallur cross roads in Tirupati. The beautification project is being done by Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA).The state has recently issued a GO asking hte TTD to release this money to TUDA from TTD funds.
The bench was dealing with a PIL filed by Naveen Kumar Reddy. He complained that the AP government had directed the TTD to release the funds for beautification of road. Jakkula Sridhar, the counsel for the petitioner said that the state's GO Ms 699 issued for this purpose is an illegal one issed without any authority and hence liable to be set aside. The rules do not permit such usage of TTD funds, he said. The bench expressed dismay at the orders of the government. The court directed the endowments department to explain under what authority it had ordered the release of funds. The bench said that the Tirupathi Urban Development Authority (TUDA) is at liberty to take up this beautification works with its funds. The case was adjourned by three weeks and asked the TTD not to release the funds.
Though the HC has been time and again asking the state not to direct the temples to release their funds for developing civic amenities which is essentially the job of the state and its local instruments, the stte has been releasing such GOs. This is third such GO to be stayed by the high court.