Hyderabad: Replies to Right to Information queries have revealed that files pertaining to crores worth of evacuee property have conveniently gone missing from the offices of the Telangana State Chief Commissioner of Land Administration, the Rajendranagar revenue office, and the Puppalaguda panchayat office. The files pertain to controversial lands on which villas have been constructed.
A resident of Puppalaguda, P. Suresh, has lodged a complaint with the Telangana state government based on the RTI replies pertaining to 750 acres of evacuee property.
The Office of the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration was asked to provide records from 1982 to 2009 with regard to this property.
The reply was: “The personal register and records are not traced. Efforts are being made to trace (sic).”
Quoting a High Court judgement regarding evacuee property of 148 acres and 50 acres in Puppalaguda, Mr Suresh said in his complaint to the TS government: “The High Court has set aside allotment of evacuee property in 2016 regarding 148 acres and 50 acres. However, there is 750 more acres of land which has been encroached. The encroachers have requested for regularisation of lands in their favour as per the circular issued by Government of India in 1964. However, the circular based on which they have sought regularisation is fabricated and forged document. The lands from Survey Nos. 277 to 326 and 328 to 337 to 339 to 343, 345 and 368 have to be resumed to the government.”
The Hyderabad Metro-politan Development Authority MDA informed Mr Suresh in an RTI reply that RoR (record of rights) proceedings were issued by the mandal revenue officer in 1993, approving the transfer of 94 acres in some of the survey numbers, but the proceedings are not traceable. This shows that there is collusion between officials and occupiers, Mr Suresh says.
Files go missing from land office
Based on the representation made by Mr Suresh, the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration has asked the Ranga Reddy district collector to protect the remaining 750 acres of land.
In answer to another RTI query, the Puppalaguda village panchayat office secretary said that there are no records pertaining to the permission granted for constructions in Survey Nos. 310, 311, 318 to 323 and 337 to an extent of 106.425 acres. The permission was granted in 1998 by sarpanch K. Narendar. The village panchayat resolution and other documents have gone missing.
