Andhra Pradesh to seize encroached land

Hyderabad: Around 1000 acres of forest lands have been encroached in the proposed AP capital region. The AP government has decided to evict encroachers in the Krishna and Guntur districts around Vijayawada city. During a preliminary inquiry it was found that in Krishna and Guntur districts hundreds of acres of government land including forests has been illegally occupied by some persons. The government has asked officials to provide details about the illegal occupation of government land and forest land in Krishna and Guntur districts, particularly around Vijayawada.

AP forest department officials told the government that near Vijayawada in the Nuzividu forest area around 1,000 acres have been illegally occupied. According to a rough estimate in Krishna and Guntur districts around Vijayawada city hundreds of acres of government land has been illegally occupied. Officials are working out ways to collect details about government and forest land under illegal occupation. The encroachments came to the notice of officials after the government’s decision to build the capital around Vijayawada. According to sources the government will ask the encroachers to vacate the lands. After giving some time to the encroachers the government will take action against them.

The AP government is of the opinion that for construction of the new capital around Vijayawada 20,000 to 30,000 acres is required. According to the McKinsey plan the new capital will have 49 buildings with 44 floors each. Senior officials want the AP capital to be an administrative centre. Inside the city polluting industries will not be allowed. The plan envisages the construction of a secretariat, Assembly buildings, Raj Bhavan, High Court, and residential quarters for ministers, MLAs, MLCs, IAS and IPS officers and government offices.