Hyderabad: With absolutely no powers to evict encroachers, the Telangana State Wakf Board is fighting a losing battle with around 80 per cent of its properties worth thousands of crores trespassed and encroached.
The TS Wakf Board has 33,929 institutions under it across Telangana. Of its total 77,538 acres land, around 57,423 acres are encroached, the Board’s stated in its website.
The figures keep changing as new properties are added to the Board occasionally. Institutions, including dargahs, chillahs, graveyards, mosques and ashoorkhanas, are given to the Board by people for their proper upkeep and for the benefit of the community.
The extent of encroachment has once again come to the public domain after Mohammed Saleem took over as chairman of the Board and started inspections.
During one of his visits, it was found that several acres of prime land at Dargah Sadullah at Neknampur, Dargah Roohullah on Narsingi Road and a few other places are encroached.
Besides, several acres of prime land at Gachibowli the IT hub of the city are also encroached. “Many major IT companies and luxury apartments have come up on the Board's land. The Board is fighting cases in the court,” Ilyas Shamshi, a social activist, said.
“The Board is powerless. It cannot do much. At the most it can issue notices to the encroachers and make them tenants, who has to pay a monthly rent to enjoy the rights,” Mr Shamshi pointed out.
Majlis Bachao Tehreek leader Amjedullah Khan noted that the government itself was one of the biggest encroachers of Wakf properties. “The government issued pattas to Secretariat employees who constructed 850 houses at Dargah Sadullah. Again, it is not acting on the numerous complains about illegal land grabbing at Nana Bagh and Alamgir mosques,” he said.
Board chairman Mohammed Saleem, however, is confident of solving the problem. “We are strengthening our legal team and bringing in more professional advocates to fight the cases. Meetings with Wakf inspectors were held and they were given strict warnings about illegal land encroachments,” Mr Saleem said.
Regarding the non-payment of rents by tenants, Saleem said that meetings are held to sort it out with the tenants. “The government is considering to grant judicial powers. Till then, we will use the existing norms effectively,” the chairman said. He also claimed that no irregularities or scams have been reported since he assumed charge.
