KTR emphasises the need for taking measures for protection of government lands from encroachments

The State government has begun an extensive exercise to protect the government lands from encroachment in the Greater Hyderabad region and also examine the feasibility to put them to use for creating public amenities.

Efforts also commenced to pitch strong arguments for resolving land disputes pending in the courts, besides examining feasibility of issuing pattas to lands encroached by eligible poor in GHMC area.

A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level review meeting chaired by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao, was held at MCRHRD Institute here on Saturday. Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar also attended the meeting.

Minister KT Rama Rao asked the officials to concentrate on revenue and endowments lands which are largely targeted by the encroachers. He emphasised the need for taking measures for protection of government lands from encroachments. Using the information available with different government departments, the officials were suggested to take up GIS-mapping and geo-fencing of the government lands. They were also instructed to take necessary steps to resolve land disputes pending in the courts.

LB Nagar MLAs D Sudheer Reddy, Qutbullapur MLA K Vivekananda and Serlingapally MLA Arekepudi Gandhi who attended the meeting,



took up several land-related issues in their respective constituencies, with the Ministers.

The Minister pointed out that the State government had already issued GO 58 and 59, regularising the lands occupied by the eligible poor and gave them property rights. He assured to consider the requests of the MLAs to examine the feasibility of issuing similar orders for regularisation of lands occupied by the poor. But unlike earlier, the Chief Secretary was urged to consider such requests in case-by-case manner rather than regularising all the encroached lands. He suggested the GHMC officials to coordinate with the Revenue Department to protect the government lands.

Meanwhile, Rama Rao asked the officials to look into the feasibility of using the government lands for creating public amenities. He asked the Town Planning Department officials of GHMC to initiate stringent measures against illegal encroachments and constructions in these government lands. He also wanted the officials to review the lease agreements signed decades ago and make necessary revisions as per the latest prices to generate more revenue for the Corporation.

District Collectors of Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri districts along with senior officials of revenue, endowments, GHMC and HMDA, participated in the meeting.