VHR seeks probe into land allotments

HYDERABAD: Welcoming the state government’s decision to constitute a House Committee to probe land allotments to industries, organisations and individuals in Hyderabad, Rajya Sabha member and senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao has demanded that land acquisitions and allotments, including Wakf properties, in and around Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy also be entrusted to the committee.Rao called on chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday and gave him a letter with the request.“The central government is drafting a bill to streamline land acquisitions and allotments for developmental activities.The state government should entrust the House Committee with probe into land acquisitions and allotments in the state.Lands allotted to business houses should be taken back if irregularities were committed in the allotments or the lands were not used for the purposes for which they were allotted.Such lands should be used for public purpose.If resuming of lands is not possible, the government should impose penalties and the amount should be utilised for construction of houses for the poor,” Rao told the chief minister.Rao recalled that independent MLA Vavilala Gopalakrishnaiah said on the floor of the Assembly in July 1968 that vast extents of lands were available in Hyderabad and asked the government to protect them.It was high time the government protected the lands in and around Hyderabad, the Congress MP said