VISAKHAPATNAM: In yet another weekend drive against encroachments, the district administration reclaimed 49.05 acres of land worth Rs 791.41 crore at Tunglam, Jaggarajupeta and Kurmannapalem on Sunday.According to the district administration, encroachments on 430.81 acres of land have been removed so far. The total market value of the reclaimed land is put at Rs 4,291.41 crore.
A team of revenue officials, led by Gajuwaka tahsildar Sekhar Rao, took possession of the land after removing encroachments. A large contingent of police accompanied the revenue team during removal of encroachments. Speaking to TNIE, Sekhar Rao said notices were served on encroachers three days ago. “There are several complaints of encroachment of government lands. The drive against encroachments will continue,” he said.
The drive, however, raised political dust with the opposition TDP alleging that it was nothing but targeting their leaders. The YSRC retorted saying that encroachers of government lands would not be spared.During the drive, structures built by Palla Sankar Rao, brother of Vizag TDP president Palla Srinivasa Rao, were also demolished.
“I purchased the land at Tunglam from 56 farmers in 1992. The revenue officials reached the site at 2 am and demolished the structures without serving any notice,” he said.Sankar Rao alleged that his brother was targeted as he refused to join the ruling YSRC. “This is nothing but political vendetta,’’ he said.
TDP State president K Atchannaidu alleged that opposition leaders, who were questioning the YSRC government, were being targeted. “The attacks on Srinivasa Rao’s properties were nothing but attacks on Backward Classes,’’ he said, and alleged that the Jagan government was vitiating the peaceful atmosphere in North Coastal Andhra.
Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao hit back saying that Palla’s family members encroached a huge chunk of land worth several hundreds of crores in Gajuwaka. “Will TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu take action against Palla at least now for encroaching government lands or continue him as the party city president?” he asked and added that the lands reclaimed from encroachers would be distributed to the poor.
“We will make the SIT report on Vizag land scam public soon. Action will be initiated against all encroachers,’’ he said.While the government was reclaiming encroached lands, the TDP chief and his son Lokesh were making false allegations that the YSRC leaders were grabbing lands. “I challenge the TDP leaders to prove that I or MP V Vijayasai Reddy encroached even a square yard of land in Vizag. Vijayasai clearly asked the officials to take stern action if anyone misuses his name for encroaching government lands,’’ he said.
He refuted the TDP charge that the YSRC government was making Vizag as executive capital with an eye on lands. “The TDP leaders should first make their stand clear on Vizag as executive capital,’’ he said, adding that the market value of encroached lands is more than Rs 750 crore. Countering the criticism of the BJP, the minister asked them to strive for getting railway zone and Central projects if they are committed to Vizag development.
‘SIT report will be out soon’
“We will make the SIT report on Vizag land scam public soon. Action will be initiated against all those involved in the land scam. The YSRC government will not spare any encroacher of land,’’ said Tourism Minister M Srinivasa Rao.