Land Grabbing Took Place in Vizag Under TD: Avanti

 Visakhapatnam: Former minister and Bheemili MLA Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao (Avanti) has alleged that it was during the term of Telugu Desam government that a majority of land grabbing incidents were reported from the city.

He says the Land Titling Act is a good step towards checking land grabs.

Talking to Deccan Chronicle on Monday, Avanti said a TD minister from Vizag himself told the media in 2017 that the followers of their ministers were involved in land grabbing and the grab extended to thousands of acres of prime land.

“The minister then said it was unbelievable that land grabbers even mortgaged roads and took Rs 190 crore in loans from banks. He said that the land grabbers took compensation from the government by producing false documents regarding government land allotted for the proposed MedTech project. He also added that the police officers under PM Police were involved in land settlements.”

“The minister said he had written a letter to the collector asking him to stop all payments and verify facts. But there was no response and payments were made.”

The former BJP MLA, now contesting for Visakhapatnam North on behalf of the NDA Alliance, had demanded a house committee while he was MLA and floor leader, for inquiring into alleged acquisition of nearly 1,000 acres of assigned land under Pendurthi mandal in Visakhapatnam district through fraudulent means and offering it to Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority for takeover under the Land Pooling Scheme.

The TD government did not respond to his demand, Avanti said.

He said large-scale land grabbing was reported from Madhurawada, Kommadi, Anandapuram, Bheemili and the outskirts of Visakhapatnam during the TD days.

“On the demand of that minister, the then chief minister Chandrababu Naidu was forced to appoint a special investigation team. But the report never saw the light of the day and the TD stepped down later, conceding victory to YSRC led by Jagan Mohan Reddy,” Avanti pointed out.

Avanti said the Niti Ayog proposed Land Titling Act was a solution to end these land grabbing, though the Opposition was making a hue and cry about it.

He said after the YSRC government came to power, the land grabbing incidents were put under check.