CRACKDOWN: Municipal officials demolishing shops near Addanki bus-stand at Ongole on Tuesday.

ONGOLE: High drama marked demolition of two shops encroaching upon municipal land in the Addanki bus-stand area on Tuesday. The encroachment has kicked up a political controversy.

It is stated that one Dammalapati Ramesh, Congress sympathiser had taken the municipal building near Addanki bus-stand on lease in the name of one Venugopala Rao. He allegedly encroached upon some land in front of the building and constructed two shops and let them out.

Negligence alleged

The encroachment became politically controversial as Telugu Desam Party councillors hauled up officials at council meetings for "negligence" in protecting municipal property.

But municipal officials pleaded inability to take action because the issue was pending in court.

As the court vacated injunction order on Monday, municipal officials descended on the area this afternoon and started demolishing the constructions made on encroached area. But Suresh, brother of Mr Ramesh, allegedly picked up a row with Municipal Commissioner Challa Anuradha.

He insisted that the Commissioner show him the court order before pulling down the building.

When Ms Anuradha refused to show him the order and asked the officials to go ahead with the demolition, he allegedly used impolite language against her, accusing her of accepting graft to act "in haste".

Ms Anuradha retorted, reportedly saying she would beat with a chappal the person who tried to bribe her.

Then the police arrived on the scene and helped the municipal officials carry out the demolition.

Pat for municipality

The all-party action committee hailed the municipality for demolishing the shops constructed encroaching upon municipal land.

It demanded action against the persons who had misbehaved with the Municipal Commissioner.

The committee pointed out that both TDP and CPI(M) had opposed the resolutions allotting one acre land in Ura tank for a three star hotel and for permission to shops constructed in the bus stand area. But the resolutions were passed in haste in the absence of both Municipal Chairman and Municipal Commissioner.

As both the resolutions drew flak, the Congress council came round and decided to withdraw resolutions.

It pointed out that the municipality had given its building on lease to one Dammalapati Ramesh who encroached upon land in front of the building and constructed two shops illegally and let them out. Hailing the municipal officials for demolishing the two shops, it demanded that the lease given to the municipal building also be cancelled.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail