Vijayawada:State Waqf Board chairman Sheikh Abdul Aziz has said the 65,783 acres of Waqf Board properties in the state will be protected from encroachment.
Speaking at a press conference organised at the Waqf Board state office here, Aziz said the properties of the Waqf Board were given by donors for the sake of God and the income generated from these will be used by the Muslim community.
Abdul Aziz said the income from the Waqf board will be used for community development in the respective areas.
He said that from February 1, all the transactions of the Waqf Board will be done online, and the revenue will also be managed transparently online. The salary and allowances of the staff will have to be paid from the income received from the Waqf Board, he said.
Aziz announced that from now on, vacant commercial lands will be given on lease, which will provide support to the Waqf Board. “There is no rule that only Muslims should take the lease, and people of any religion can have these on lease.”
Abdul Aziz said that the property of the Waqf Board is the property of God. “The chairman and members of the board are its only trustees. It is our responsibility to protect these properties from being alienated.”
He said, “The properties of the Waqf Board were given by donors for God. Our grandfathers are the trustees and mutawallis of the mosques, and some people are under the misconception that they can sell that property, but that will not happen, let it not happen.”
Aziz said Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu will treat the properties of the Waqf Board in the same way as he treated Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala with devotion and he will protect the properties of the Waqf Board.
He said, “In the past, 65,783 acres of land were donated to mosques and dargahs. Out of this, 31,590 acres are under encroachments. Some people bought these lands knowingly or unknowingly. Those who bought them should give back every inch of land. So far, 40 complaints have been received on 651 acres in the districts. The collector and SP are instructed to conduct thorough investigation into these complaints.”
