The world is running out burial space and Telangana land grabbers eye on graveyards

 HYDERABAD: It's not new the land grabbers in the city are not leaving the burial space too. Then it was open plots, lakes and government hospitals, land grabbers have set their eyes on Graveyards where they either construct buildings or use them as cattle sheds.

This issue of encroachment of graveyards  came into limelight after a few activists raised concerns over graveyards being turned into residential buildings in Ykutupura and another graveyard being encroached upon at Dargah Hazrat Wasil Shah in Kacheguda.

The encroachments in the city are not new they have been taking place since several years now, but no extreme step have been take to control or stop it. The encroachment to construct buildings and commercial spaces  in graveyards have become the latest trend in the market now, said Hussain shah, a resident of Kacheguda.

The waqf lands are easy targets because in most cases no proper documents of these lands are available he added.

In most places, some graveyards were demolished midway while some still exist within the premises. To protect the waqf lands being encroached officials should conduct a survey  There are several graveyards across the city that are being encroached upon or being turned into dump yards. said Mohammed Habeebuddin, a Waqf activist.

waqf board officials said that they are conducting regular inspections and registering cases against the encroaches as and when they receive information about the encroachments.