HYDERABAD: Fifteen officials of Telangana State Wakf Board have been issued memos seeking explanation for 'dereliction of duty' after the Board was pulled up recently by the High Court for failure to protect graveyards from encroachments and inaction in lodging FIRs against the land-grabbers.
The Board’s Chief Executive Officer issued the memos, which accuse the officials of utter failure in conducting physical inspections, surveys and submitting the findings based on which FIRs could be filed against the offenders. The officials were also charged that they failed to submit detailed reports within the stipulated time.
It may be recalled that the High Court took serious objection to the Wakf Board’s failure in filing criminal cases against encroachments of graveyards under its control. As per the report submitted by the Board, 86 graveyards in Hyderabad have been encroached and only five FIRs were lodged.
The court dismissed the Board's plea that the police was not inclined to register FIRs citing the complaint is civil in nature and held that Criminal Procedure Code (Cr PC) provides three options for getting criminal cases registered against an offender and the CEO has failed in opting for any of the provisions.
Meanwhile, employees are furious at the memos that have been issued. They alleged that higher officers are trying to make them scapegoats. They contended “we are not authorized to lodge a criminal complaint. The CEO issued orders after he was reprimanded by the Court.”
They said that it is not possible to conduct such surveys and prepare a detailed report within eight days, particularly considering that they have only one regular surveyor and a temporary surveyor.
The Board is suffering from shortage of staff after 60% of the staff went to Andhra Pradesh, post the bifurcation. Even though new districts were created, the Board has not increased its staff strength.
