The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Petrol pump owner fined Rs. 4.93 cr.

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Monday, Jun 22, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Petrol pump owner fined Rs. 4.93 cr.

Defence Estate authorities crack down on illegal conversion of defence land

1.75 acre of the 6.54 acre Bungalow no. 179 was under ‘unauthorised occupation’
Over 40 bungalows under DEO’s jurisdiction illegally converted to commercial buildings

HYDERABAD: Defence Estate authorities in Secunderabad have slapped a hefty fine of Rs. 4.93 crore on the occupant of its bungalow for illegal occupation and conversion of premises into a petrol filling station.

The current occupant of Bungalow no.179, Brij Gopal Fathepuria has been issued the order last month by Defence Estate Officer S. Balakrishna to pay the damages amount within 15 days from the date of receipt of the order.

The DEO said in his orders that 1.75 acre of the 6.54 acre bungalow (Secunderabad Cantonment GLR Survey No.522) was “under unauthorised occupation and a highly commercial business” of a filling station was being run from the premises.

Defence officials had earlier slapped a show cause notice in May last year to the occupant why an order requiring him to pay the aforementioned damages should not be charged from him calculated for the last 15 years. The occupant had appeared before the DEO later but “could not present any valid objections or produce any documentary evidence before the enquiry officer” and the same has been recorded, Mr. Balakrishna noted.

He said the land title was declared in the favour of Government of India, Ministry of Defence by the City Civil Court, Secunderabad, earlier. The DEO warned the occupant that in case of failure to pay the fine, the money will be recovered as arrear of land revenue along with 12 per cent per annum.

Notices issued

Last year, this bungalow occupant and six others including those running units like Auto Chenoy, YWCA and others were issued notices for unauthorised use and illegal constructions of bungalows with total fine amount of Rs. 27 crore. Among them Fathepuria was the first to get the final payment order.

“Occupants of defence properties have been issued notices for having misused the land and running commercial establishments illegally. We lack sufficient resources to take up all the cases to their logical end,” explained Mr. Balakrishna, who was shifted to New Delhi last week. Of the 116 bungalows under DEO’s jurisdiction, more than 40 were converted to commercial buildings without any permit. Some lease holders had also transferred property to others without official sanction over the years.

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