The Telangana High Court has issued a strong warning to state officials regarding delayed payments to fish seed suppliers who worked under government fisheries programs. The court directed the state finance department to clear the pending dues by March 9 or face legal consequences.
The warning came during a contempt hearing presided over by Justice T. Madhavi Devi. The judge expressed serious concern over the government’s repeated failure to follow earlier court orders regarding payments to private agencies that supplied fish seedlings for state fisheries projects.
Fish seed distribution is an important part of Telangana’s fisheries development program. The state government supplies fish seedlings to reservoirs, lakes, and water bodies to promote fish farming and support fishermen’s livelihoods. Several private suppliers had provided fish seedlings to the government under contract agreements.
However, many of these suppliers have not received their payments even months after delivering the fish seeds. The delay prompted them to approach the court seeking justice and payment of their dues.
Earlier, on February 6, the court had directed the state government to clear the pending payments within four weeks. Despite the order, the dues remained unpaid, leading the suppliers to file a contempt petition.
During the hearing, the finance department requested additional time to settle the payments. However, the court rejected the request and criticized the department for poor financial management. Justice Madhavi Devi observed that funds allocated for specific purposes cannot be diverted to other expenses, such as salary payments.
The judge compared the situation to poor household financial planning, stating that if money meant for a particular purpose is used elsewhere, it creates unnecessary financial problems. The court emphasized that government departments must follow proper financial discipline and honor contractual obligations.
The High Court ordered that the payments must be made by March 9. If the dues are not cleared by that date, the finance secretary will have to personally appear before the court on March 10 to explain the delay.
The ruling sends a strong message about accountability in government financial management and the importance of respecting court directives.
News as reported
