HYDERABAD: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao has demanded a high-level inquiry into shikam lands in Kalvakolu tank in Dubbacherla village in Maheshwaram mandal of Rangareddy district which were allegedly occupied by former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy’s company.
The lands are situated 20 km away from Shamshabad airport.Kalvakolu tank comes under minor irrigation department.
Hanumantha Rao along with Rangareddy District Congress Committee leaders visited Dubbacherla village and examined the Kalvakolu tank and shikam lands after learning that they were encroached.
“If the government continued with its negligent attitude, all such lands would soon be by occupied by realtors. The government should take action immediately on this issue,” they demanded.
Hanumantha Rao recalled that the government rules and regulations would not permit any construction activity in the shikam lands. It was a major crime even during the days of the British, he said. According to Hanumantha Rao, Brahmani Avenues, owned by Gali Janardhan Reddy, purchased nearly 140 acres from farmers of Dubbacherla village.
The lands were near Kalvakolu tank shikam lands. After that Janardhan Reddy signed an agreement with Sri Vensai developers for land development. They made 720 plots and started construction with all the amenities. Till date they sold about 200 plots.
The villagers told Hanumantha Rao that they had used Shikam ank for cultivation but in the last five years Kalvakolu tank did not have any water. After Sri Vensai developers constructed the compound wall they could not use the water.
They said under Kalvakolu tank nearly 400 to 500 acres used to be cultivated and provided water to nearly 10 villages. The Congress leader blamed local RDO and MROs for their negligence. He said he ask revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy to order an inquiry into the issue.
“It is the duty of the government to protect all the tanks and natural water sources for future requirements’’ he said.