Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

GMC to probe encroachment charges

Staff Reporter

Telugu Desam corporators allege grabbing of valuable lands

GUNTUR: The Guntur Municipal Corporation will probe into the alleged encroachments of reserve vacant sites of the corporation, according to in-charge Municipal Commissioner M. Hasim Shareef.

The GMC, if necessary, would refer the registration documents to the Forensic Laboratory in Hyderabad and nab the culprits, he told Telugu Desam Party corporators at the general council meeting here on Thursday.

Replying to corporators over the alleged encroachment of valuable vacant reserve sites of the GMC, the Commissioner said that an inquiry would begin soon and the findings of the inquiry would be released within a week. There were 86 open sites in the corporation limits. Officials of the town-planning wing of the GMC and revenue department would conduct the probe into the alleged irregularities, he said.

Raising the issue, Telugu Desam corporator Maganti Sudhakar said that realtors occupied nearly 2,000 sq yards of GMC site at Navabharat Nagar valued at Rs.5 crores and were constructing an apartment complex. Similar incidents of encroachments were being reported from many places, but the GMC had not initiated any action, he rued.

Mayor Kanna Nagaraju directed the town-planning section to immediately probe into the issue and take possession of the site. He said that a special drive would be taken up to find out the number of such encroachments. In cases, where vacant sites were in possession of Government departments, notices would be issued to them, he said.

The council witnessed acrimonious scenes when members cutting across party lines lashed out at the sanitary wing of the GMC holding them responsible for deteriorating sanitation in the city. Deputy Mayor Tadisetty Murali complained that the only garbage collecting trailer in his ward was taken off abruptly.

Responding to it, the Mayor said that sanitation wing was crippled due to shortage of staff. There were only 724 permanent workers and 960 private workers to man the work as against 1,030 private workers and 788 permanent workers in 2003-2004.

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

Stories in this Section

Universal birth registration picks up
GMC to probe encroachment charges
Technical university for workers sought
National growth dependant on education, says Minister
Slain counsellor’s wife in fray for Tenali polls
Three die of lightning strikes in Guntur district
BC hostel inmate dead
Four convicted of murder

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu