Land grabbing continues unabated; officials lax

Quthbullapur: The Revenue department is not allegedly registering cases against land-grabbers even while allowing them to encroach government lands of worth cores in Devendernagar, Kattamaisamma and Kaisarnagar areas of Quthbullapur division, taking advantage of officials being busy with the State Assembly elections. The department staff seem to be under the impression that they won’t get another election time opportunity in showing laxity, which is only encouraging the land mafia to take up virtually round the clock construction activity. As a result, illegal constructions are thriving there with the land mafia taking up work during night using power supply. 

Local residents wonder why the department officials are hesitating to put up boards indicating government lands, while pointing out that this is itself is a clear indication of nexus between the officialdom and mafia. The pictures being used with the story are self-explanatory. The residents told The Hans India that such construction can’t take place without the knowledge of the Revenue staff, while posing a question who is behind the grabbing of government land in survey no.329/1 in Devendernagar, of Gajularamaram, where the department’s interest is not so serious.

The alleged inaction of the Revenue department has emboldened the land-grabbers to even take up re-construction of structures which have been demolished. If there have been two demolitions the encroachers have completed works at ten spots. The big question which the residents face is it officials or politicians who are involved in illegal constructions if so why no cases are being registered against them. The residents demand that the department should make it clear why the illegal construction activities are not being viewed with seriousness despite the media exposing them on a regular basis. 

This even creates doubt among them  whether the department lacks power to act or whether it is being misused. Among the government lands encroached are those of the Wakf Board and those allotted to HMWS&SB.  When the THI took the issue to the notice of a VRA, he said the complaints should be lodged with HMWS&SB, indicating that the Revenue department has virtually no responsibility to protect such government lands. HMWS&SB General Manager Shivraj could not be reached despite making several attempts.

BY Pathi Madhav