Cracking the whip: KCR targets land grabbers; demolishes illegal structures
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asked officials to demolish illegal buildings, buildings constructed on encroached government lands, structures on Gurukul Trust lands and prevent further illegal constructions in Hyderabad.
Taking serious note of encroachment of government lands and lands donated by philanthropists for public causes like the Gurukul Trust, Mr Rao asked officials how power and water connections were provided to building owners who had constructed illegally on encroached lands and without permission..
The move is perceived to be aimed at Seemandhra politicians and industrialists who have occupied thousands of acres of land in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
He directed the GHMC officials to deal with the issue firmly including demolishing illegal constructions in the city. For buildings that had permission but had deviated from the plans, officials may serve a notice before initiating action.
On Monday, Mr Rao held a high level meeting on encroachment of government lands, Gurukul Trust lands, illegal constructions etc. with Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali, home minister Nayani Narsimha Reddy, excise minister T. Padma Rao, transport minister Mahender Reddy, GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar and other senior GHMC officials and the and police.
While asking officials to follow High Court directions with regard to Gurukul Trust lands, he instructed them to protect existing lands at any cost and to take police help in the drive against encroachers.
“This government will not compromise on such issues. We have to protect government and trust lands at any cost and evict encroachers. We will not allow even an inch of the land to be grabbed,” he reportedly said.
When contacted, GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar said the Gurukul Trust had about 1,200 acre of land in Serilingampally mandal, some of which was under occupation and caught in legal wrangle.
A part of the land, 70 acre, had been given to the Ayyappa Cooperative Housing Society, which in turn sold it to several individuals. The AP High Court on June 24, 2009, had directed the government to maintain status quo in regularising layouts and buildings on the Gurukul Ghatkesar Trust land. The applications for regularisation were rejected as the ownership was under a cloud.
Advocate P. Chandrasen Reddy had filed a PIL challenging the government’s move to regularise the lands in 2009. The High Court had declared that the 627-acre prime land at Khanamet near Hitec City belonged to Gurukul Trust, but said that encroachers and other occupants of residential houses be allowed to stay provided they had already applied for regularisation of their lands.
Those who had not would have to be evicted, it said. The money collected from applicants for land regularisation should be used to buy land in the vicinity and handed over to the trust in compensation.
