Encroached lake lands to be regularised in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The stage is set for regularisation of encroached lake lands in the city ahead of the GHMC elections. Hundreds of applications have been received for regularisation of shikam/full tank level (FTL) lands under the recent Telangana state government’s Land Regularisation Scheme.

Sources said the government has approved regularisation of 3,546 applications, which are under the FTL of eight lakes, and the pattas are likely to be issued by June 2. These regularisations would be done free of cost since the applications were made under GO No. 58 meant for the “poor” category having an annual income of less than Rs 2 lakh.

These applications had been earlier rejected by officials as they fell under the “objectionable lands” category. Though regularisation was sought for lands at 18 lakes, eight were approved by the officials on the directions of the government on the ground that the lakes no longer existed on these lands and colonies had  come up there decades ago, leaving no scope even to restore ayacut or high-lying areas.

The TRS government, which is keen on making the LRS scheme a major poll plank in the ensuing GHMC elections by issuing 1 lakh pattas to the poor out of the 1.95 lakh applications received, has directed collectors and revenue officials of Hyderabad and RR districts to be “liberal” while approving LRS applications.