Free govt land of encroachments, HC orders Bhongir dist admin

Hyderabad: The High Court has directed officials to conduct survey of government land in Yadadri – Bhuvanagiri district and ensure that that the entire government land is freed from the clutches of private persons and restored with the government.

The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili directed the District Collector to conduct a survey of the Government land within one month, which is under illegal occupation of the private persons.

The division bench cautioned the district Collector that in the event the Collector fails to adhere to the orders of the court, the he will have to appear before the court in person and explain the reasons for not abiding by the court's order.

The division bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Boreddi Ayodhya Reddy from Nalgonda district seeking a direction to protect government land admeasuring Ac. 177 guntas in survey number 208 and Ac. 591.05 guntas in survey number 312 situated in Ramlingampally village, Bommalaramaram mandal of Yadadri - Bhuvanagiri district under encroachment.

Radhiv, Spl.GP informed the court that the State has already issued an encroachment notice to the encroachers and the district Collector requires 4 months to complete the survey of the land in dispute.

On 18-08-2021, during the course of adjudication of this PIL, though, the then Chief Justice Bench had directed the district Collector of Yadadri - Bhuvanagiri to take immediate steps to conduct a survey of the land under encroachment, prepare the digital mapping of the entire area in dispute for record purpose and file a status report, but the same has not been filed before the Court as on today.

The Court had also observed that it is the bound and duty of the State to secure its lands and it should not wait for an order from the court to protect its own lands from the encroachers and miscreants.