ONGOLE: The Prakasam district administration has been cracking the whip on erring revenue officials, more particularly in the Markapur revenue division, who are allegedly involved in several illegal land mutations and wrong online entries.
As many as 12 employees, including 11 Village Revenue Officers (VROs) and a surveyor, were placed under suspension and a contract computer operator was dismissed from services recently. So far, action was taken against 25 employees of the revenue department in the last two months for alleged land related irregularities.
Interestingly, with the district administration taking a serious view of the land related frauds, some village and mandal level revenue staff have reportedly gone on leave to avoid action against them. After assuming charge as district collector, Praveen Kumar has taken a serious view on the land-related irregularities as a number of complaints were received during the Spandana public grievance programme.
According to official sources, some revenue officials and staff colluded with fraudsters and made changes in records of 378.89 acres of government land in 17 villages under the Markapur Revenue Division.
A total of 702 acres of land in 17 villages were made online in the Markapur mandal and among them, records were created for 378.89 acres of government lands in the name of private persons.
Praveen Kumar has ordered a comprehensive enquiry by the Velugonda Reservoir Project Special Collector Sarala Vandanam and the enquiry committee inspected 578 files to find out the irregularities. After the enquiry committee submitted its report, district administration has started taking action against the erring officers.
Initially, two VROs and an assistant revenue inspector were placed under suspension. Recently the district administration suspended 12 revenue employees, including 11 VROs and a surveyor. Criminal proceedings were also ordered against a retired tahsildar based on the enquiry report, sources said.
District Collector Praveen Kumar, at a recent review meeting, made it clear that the administration would not tolerate land related irregularities. “We are focusing on all the government land related irregularities and frauds and stringent action will be taken against the erring officials,” he warned.