Government lands disappearing right under nose of officials

Malkajgiri: Government lands in Neredmet, like the area behind the DCP office, are fast disappearing as none is able to save them despite being subjected to forcible occupation. Such lands are being sold by land-grabbers to innocent people for lakhs, in the process earning crores. Although such occupation has been happening for long the official machinery is indifferent.

Although complaints have been lodged to officials after sand was dumped in the area behind the DCP office, officials have only seized the tractors used for transporting sand, without acting against the land-grabber. This is giving scope for doubts regarding their motive.

The 236 acres of government land in Malkajgiri mandal in survey no 278 has been confined only to records, as houses have been built in 200 acres, while some area has been allotted to government offices, colleges and courts, in the three acres behind the DCP office. Since 2008 some influential persons had filled the ditch in the land with sand and managed to sell plots of 50, 80 and 100 sq yards to innocent persons.
When some persons lodged complaints to officials, MRO Ratna Kalyani demolished the houses built there and registered cases against some persons.

In 2010 higher officials after pulling up the MRO had handed over the land to the Housing Board, which prepared plans to build a compound wall. But the plan was put in cold storage. However, a person was deployed at the spot as guard. Yet it did not stop land-grabbing. However, the Revenue officials took possession of the land in 2013, but later many houses were built on the same land.

Malkajgiri MRO Ashfaq Ahmed told The Hans India that following complaints of land-grabbing, tractors being used for transporting sand have been seized. He asserted that strong action would be taken against the encroachers, however big he may be.