Justice A Rajasekhar Reddy of the Hyderabad High Court has directed the Visakhapatnam district revenue authorities not to take any coercive steps against fishermen families in Chepala Timmapuram near Bheemunipatnam of Vishakhapatnam district, aimed at evicting them from their residence. These fishermen families have been living in land allotted to them by the state since 1987. The judge gave these interim orders in favour of the fishermen families while hearing a writ petition filed by Visakhapatnam fisher women dry fish cooperative society limited. According to M Parvathamma, president of this society, their very living in Chepala Thimmapuram was on account of an earlier eviction in the name of development. Her counsel brought to the notice of the court that all these fishermen families were living in Visakhapatnam prior to 1987. In the name of expansion of Visakhapatnam harbour, they were thrown out from the city limits in 1987. The government gave them 10 acres of land in Chepala Timmapuram for houses and five acres for drying fish. In July 2016, officials demolished 24 of these houses without notice. Now, the officers want them to leave the area forever as they want to develop tourism. Without any notice, they are being prevented from entering the land and threatened at the behest of real estate dealers. After the hearing, the judge asked the authorities to respond and stayed all further coercive steps.
2016 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.