Czech Colony, Waqf Board spar over park

Sanathnagar: The residents of Czech Colony in Sanathnagar have been fighting for an half-acre land and want it to be converted into a park while the Waqf Board claims that it is Waqf land. The issue is gaining prominence as the land parcel is worth crores and is in up market area.

In the meanwhile, the tussle has taken political overtones with former minister Marri Shahidhar Reddy stating that the ruling party has been supporting the locals to gain political points. This block of land cannot be handed over to the locals and wants an open tender for leasing out the land.

According to people in the know of things, the locals had approached the Waqf Board but the deal to lease out the land did not come through as the locals were unwilling to pay the rates quoted by the Waqf Board. The Congress party workers allege that the members of the ruling party including those in high positions have been encouraging locals to take control over the land.