Telangana High Court asks district collectors to geotag government lands
HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the collectors of all 33 districts in the state to immediately notify government lands, commence a survey, geotag and compile a register in a week.
The court wanted this done in a time bound manner, after noticing that several parcels of government land were encroached upon by private parties and sold to third parties. The court also directed the collectors to furnish the register to the sub-registrars concerned with an instruction not to register the land parcels mentioned in the land bank. The court said that all should be done in a week and, after that, steps should be taken to protect the land parcels.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with a PIL complaining of inaction of the revenue authorities in protecting government land in Survey No. 356 of Pregnapur village of Gajwel mandal in Siddipet district. When the issue came up in November 2020, the government was directed to explain the status of that parcel of land. The government has not placed any submission so far.
Pointing out the inordinate delay in filing the counter affidavit by the government, Justice Hima Kohli observed that the Telangana government and its machinery was not in a position to protect the public properties and on other hand, by saying so, that the government was selling huge land parcels by conducting e-auctions to generate funds. “It is unfortunate that the public properties are being frittered away and the authorities are not able to protect them,” the Chief Justice commented.
Further, she said the court was frequently receiving complaints about illegal encroachments and fraudulent sale deeds were being executed and registered in favour of the third parties. “So, we are inclined to give the general order to protect the government lands in the state,” she said.
The collectors of 33 districts shall file separate affidavits before the High Court furnishing the steps taken to comply with the directions issued. The case was adjourned to October 27.
