Land sharks devouring Quthbullapur

Quthbullapur: Quthbullapur appears to have become a centre of illegal real estate ventures, with the official machinery allegedly turning a blind eye to such activities, including one taken up in a disputed land case pending in a court. Almost all realty ventures here are allegedly unauthorised, with two or three big shots being active in usurping lands. An instance of such ventures is the activity in Devendernagar of Gajularamaram in survey no 328, where ‘realty’ businessmen have allegedly projected it as ‘patta’ land.

A survey has revealed that these traders launched ventures in 1.5 acres in government lands in the adjoining area under survey no 329. They have also become bold to take up housing there. The value of lands allegedly occupied by these sharks is said to be Rs 10 crore, allegedly with the active cooperation of the officialdom. Of course, as is usual in such activities, officials are allegedly yielding to temptations, taking care to advise the fraudsters how to leave no scope for complaints. When questioned about regulations, they become bold enough to claim that the ventures are all being taken up in survey numbers, in their efforts to adopt evasive strategies.

The greedy officialdom seems to be taking advantage of the election duties in fully cooperating with those running illegal ventures. They even overlook when these businessmen don’t hesitate to occupy government lands. The election duties are said to have become a boon to land-grabbers and those running housing ventures, who are getting to ready to lay roads. Without securing the required permission, these realty developers are also resorting to blasting of rocky ground using compressor vehicles. Innumerable complaints by local residents have fallen on deaf ears of Revenue department officials.

Local residents while speaking to The Hans India pointed out that the attitude of officials has become clear when a responsible officer failed to register cases against the illegal ventures, after inspecting their activities, citing the cases pertaining to survey numbers 333, 334 in Kattamaisamma locality of Devendernagar which are learnt to be pending in a court. Referring to the survey numbers 333, 334, Wakf Board Member Abu Salem told THI that the celing land there was involved in the land-grabbing court. Actually, he asserted the land belonged to the Wakf Board, while pointing out the court has not given clearance. 'If it had done so, there would be ORC (occupation right certificate)'. Abu Salem contended that the land did not have ORC.

The residents said heavy construction activity like laying of roads after breaking rocky areas is on during the last one month. They alleged that a lower-level Revenue department official has connections with the venture. This becomes clear that no action was being initiated by officials and considering the bold activities of the developers without taking the due permissions, despite the fact they move daily in Devendernagar. when THI questoned VRO Balaraju about why no action was being taken by the department against illegal ventures, he casually replied that the construction activity has been stopped and the builders have been evicted.

With Quthbullapur MRO Gowtham Kumar being entrusted with ARO duty, a VRO and a VRA have allegedly failed to register land-grabbing cases when sent to the sites where illegal ventures were thriving. Even the GHMC officials are allegedly adopting a negligent attitude towards such land-grabbing activities, even while 'cooperating' with the Renvenue staff.

BY Pathi Madhav