BRS leader T Harish Rao accuses a firm linked to Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy of illegal quarrying in Manasa Hills and questions a 17-acre land allotment without bidding.

BRS deputy floor leader T. Harish Rao on Monday levelled serious allegations against the Telangana government, claiming that large-scale quarrying is being carried out in the Manasa Hills area of Rajendranagar without mandatory approvals.

At a press briefing, Rao alleged that Raghava Constructions— which he linked to Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy—has been excavating hill formations near the Outer Ring Road using heavy machinery. According to him, the activity is continuing round the clock despite lacking key statutory clearances.

He listed a series of permissions that he claimed were missing, including environmental clearance, mining lease approvals, Pollution Control Board consents, HMDA permissions, land-use conversion, explosives licences and groundwater usage approvals. Rao questioned why departments such as Revenue, Mines and Geology, and the Pollution Control Board were allegedly not intervening.

The BRS leader also raised concerns over what he described as a 17-acre government land allotment made without open bidding to individuals he alleged were linked to the chief minister’s family. He demanded that the allotment be scrapped and subjected to a transparent auction process, arguing that bypassing competitive bidding could result in financial loss to the state.

Further, Rao questioned the role of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), asking why it acts swiftly in cases involving ordinary citizens but, according to him, has not addressed the alleged quarrying.

The allegations are likely to intensify political sparring between the ruling Congress and the BRS. Beyond the political rhetoric, the issue highlights growing scrutiny around land use, environmental compliance and transparency in high-value urban zones on Hyderabad’s outskirts.