HYDERABAD: Senior BJP leader S Malla Reddy on Tuesday wrote to Union Minister for Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey, alleging that some individuals and the State government were illegally encroaching the land belonging to the Hyderabad’s unit of HMT in Quthbullapur.
“As the management of the company was incapable of protecting the lands, I urge your intervention,” Malla Reddy wrote. Stating that there were 5,000 employees working in three divisions of HMT’s machine tool, bulb and tractor units after the two of the company’s portfolios became sick, he wrote that presently the machine tools division was functioning with about 300 workers.
Of the 880 acres of the company’s land, 20 acres have already been occupied by private individuals enjoying the support of the ruling party, and that the State government has occupied 120 acres by claiming that it was excess land in possession of the HMT, 60 years after the company was established, Malla Reddy’s wrote.
Stating that five acres have been used to build a municipal office, one acre for Jeedimetla police station and one acre for power substation by the HMT, he said that there was a dire need to protect the remaining land.