Secunderabad Cantonment Board opposes collector’s order on building plans
Hyderabad: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board has unanimously opposed the Hyderabad collector’s direction that since B2 lands under the Defence classification belonged to the state government, no building plans should be sanctioned or any layouts approved without an NOC from the collectorate.
The collector also wanted the SCB to revoke building permissions sanctioned for two buildings under GLR survey number 243. He has also issued another letter stating that whatever the SCB referred to the Mandal Revenue officer should also be forwarded to the collector’s office.
However, SCB elected members are against referring everything to the collector stating that this would cause immense hardship to the SCB residents. Secondly, they say that the Cantonment Act does not mention that an NOC should be obtained from the district collector and Mandal Revenue Office. Earlier, the Board would ask the MRO for NOCs to protect the lands, but it is not mentioned in the Act.
SCB ward member Mr Rama Krishna said, “Earlier a similar situation had arisen, there was a High Court direction to the Board not to insist on a no object certificate from an MRO as it is not mandatory in the SCB Act. We have opposed the collector’s order. In fact the Board members will ask the Ministry of Defence whether we can implement such an amendment in the Act to involve the collector’s office in granting NOC. We will also ask the collector to streamline the entire process.”
Meanwhile Board members from the Defence and the elected ward members had a heated discussion with regard to the GLR survey number 243.
The Defence members insisted that the building permission be revoked and construction be stopped, while the elected members opposed it, stating that the matter was sub judice and no decision should be taken till the judgment.
The SCB had sanctioned building permits on the 119.8-acre land last year. The Hyderabad Collector had earlier suspended the Trimulgherry tehsildar for failing to protect GLR land Survey 243.
A letter was also sent to the SCB CEO asking that the building permits for the layout be revoked. There are 130 state government properties classified as “B2” lands in Secunderabad Cantonment.
