IDPL urges Centre to initiate CBI probe into land dispute

Hyderabad: Tired of prolonged legal battles with GPA holders, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (IDPL) has urged the Centre to initiate a CBI probe into disputes over its land. As much as 891 acres ond 38 guntas is on the verge of encroachment as the plant has been lying idle ever since it became sick two decades ago.

The IDPL is spending about Rs 1 crore per annum on security personnel, said a source.

IDPL has been fighting in local courts against certain individuals claiming to be GPA holders of late Ashmathunnisa Begum. They filed writ petition No: 35514 of 2017 in the High Court for demarcation of land in Sy No 376 without issuing notice to IDPL management. Citing this order, the Kukatpally MRO issued notice to the IDPL with a direction to be present for the proposed demarcation scheduled on January 17, 2018.

“The dispute arises from overlapping of survey numbers of land allotted to IDPL. Survey numbers of 200, 201, 205, 206 and 252 of Moosapet village belonging to IDPL overlap with a portion of survey number 376 of Kukatpally village. This is mentioned in the conveyance deed and was brought to the notice of S&LR officials,” the IDPL told Medchal collector M.V. Reddy May 15, 2018.

IDPL filed a writ before the division bench of High Court which set aside petition 35514/2017 with a direction to the company to file a counter affidavit, which would be taken up along with the main petition WP39591 of 2017 filed by the management.

“As the case is pending in High Court, a few individuals claiming to be GPAs of late Ashmanthunnisa Begum illegally encroached the land and erected 20 MS poles illegally during the night hours on May 10, 2018, which is contempt of court,” IDPL said in the complaint and sought intervention to protect the land which belongs to the Centre.

The then AP government had acquired land from Farhaunnisa Begum in 1962 and allotted 891 acres and 38 guntas to IDPL for establishing its unit in Hyderabad.

A source said, “The legal tussle since 1976 is due to the overlapping of 16 acres. Now, a sixth GPA holder is trying to grab the land. Deploying over 100 bouncers, the person claiming to be a GPA holder of late Ashmathunnisa Begum, sister of late Farhaunnisa Begum, has erected poles barricading the boundary.”

IDPL Hyderabad takes off

The much-talked revival of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd’s (IDPL) Hyderabad plant has taken off silently with the formulations unit supplying tablets and ointments to state governments.

Plans for a grand relaunch were cancelled owing to the recent decision of the Centre to shut a few public sector units (PSUs), said a source.

Bulk drug operations at IDPL Hyderabad were stopped in 1996 and the formulations unit in 2003.

“In accordance with the decision taken by the department of pharmaceuticals, Union ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, to resume production at the Hyderabad plant, a new formulation unit commissioned commercial production in October 2017 with a modest investment of '15 crore,” the source said.

“It has been decided to resume operations at the formulations unit quietly as the government anticipated a backlash from the Opposition parties for the closure of PSUs. The bulk drug unit remained shut as they were not allowed within the city. We’re targeting '8 crore turnover for 2018-19. We are planning to expand the existing unit,” said the source.

The capacity of the unit in Hyderabad is 10,000 ointments and 2.5 lakh tables per day.