WARANGAL: The land meant for the construction of medical and nursing colleges in Mahbubabad has landed in a dispute with some locals claiming that they are cultivating a part of the land. They have approached the High Court, which gave a stay order on the work on the college and has sought a report from the government clarifying the ownership of the land.
Local councillor Banoth Ravi said that portions of the land were assigned decades ago to several tribals of Babunaik thanda and Sankriya thanda, and alleged that the state government was forcefully claiming the land of the poor tribals. He said that there is open plot of government land adjacent to the spot chosen for the college, and asked the officials to consider buildng it there.
“A false report has been sent to the government that the land in Survey No. 551 is completely owned by the government and no one is cultivating it. The revenue and police officials are not letting farmers enter their own land and have dug a trench to stop them,” he alleged
Local TRS leaders claim these claims were backed by opposition parties and were meant to obstruct development works. The medical college was proposed to come up on 30 acres of land.
Minister for tribal welfare Satyavathi Rathod said, “It is unfortunate that some people are resorting to such acts to hinder development in Mahbubabad which is relatively backward. Necessary action is being taken in regard to the dispute and it will be clarified at the earliest.”
Previously, during the foundation stone laying of the district collectorate, some of the farmers made had similar claims and they were given compensation before the construction began. The farmers in Babunaik thanda and Sankriya thanda too hope for a similar compensation.
