AP Takes Back 32.63 Acres of Forest Land from Peddireddy Family
As per the 1968 Gazette, Mangalampeta forest land covers 75.74 acres, of which 32.63 acres were illegally occupied.
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has reclaimed 32.63 acres of encroached forest land in Mangalampeta, Pulicherla mandal, from members of the Peddireddy family, signalling a firm stance against forest land encroachments.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) P.V. Chalapathi Rao told the media on Thursday that a state-level committee has been constituted to identify and recover illegally occupied forest lands across the state.
As part of this exercise, forest officials identified encroachments in Mangalampeta and registered cases against Peddireddy Mithun Reddy (A-1), Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy (A-2), Peddireddy Dwarakanatha Reddy (A-3) and Peddireddy Indiramma (A-4). The cases were filed under Sections 61(2) and 20(1)(D)(2) of the AP Forest Act, 1967, and relevant sections of the BNS. A chargesheet has been filed and possession of the encroached land has been taken back.
As per the 1968 Gazette, Mangalampeta forest land covers 75.74 acres, of which 32.63 acres were illegally occupied. Officials found fencing, horticulture crops, and a borewell on the encroached land, with forest damage estimated at Rs.1.26 crore. The accused have reportedly failed to produce any legal documents for the land.
“We will not spare anyone who has encroached on forest lands, and action will also be taken against officials who supported such encroachments,” the PCCF said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has directed officials to upload comprehensive forest land records onto a public website. Survey work is under way for this purpose.
