The Telugu superstar-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, who will celebrate his birthday on Friday, heaved a sigh of relief after the Supreme Court gave its green signal to his inaugural public meeting in temple town of Tirupati on August 26.
Admitting the petition of Tirupati Intellectual Forum, seeking prevention of the public meeting with lakhs of people on the bed of a tank, the Supreme Court directed the authorities to allow the meeting with out erecting any permanent structure at the place.
Chiranjeevi will conduct his maiden public meeting at Vavilala Tank grounds on the outskirts of the city which is expected to be attended by a million people from all over the state.
The Telangana Intellectual Forum had expressed fears that such a huge gathering will have an adverse impact on the ecological balance of Tirupati, turning the tank in to garbage dump leading to flooding of the city in future. The Forum questioned the decision of Chittoor district collector and Tirupati Urban Development Authority citing a Supreme Court judgment of 2006, saying public meetings or construction activity should not be allowed on Vavilala tank grounds.
Text: Mohammed Siddique in Hyderabad
Image: Fans and supporters greet Chiranjeevi at his party office in Hyderabad on Thursday.
Text: Mohammed Siddique in Hyderabad | Photographs: Snaps India
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