The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the State Government to inquire into the alleged land scam in Visakhapatnam district had recently convened a meeting with Revenue officials, where it urged officials to immediately initiate a survey of sub-divisions in order to a solution to the 22A issue.
Mandal Revenue Officers (MROs) have been directed to take up the survey on a priority basis.
The SIT has so far received around 270 cases pertaining to a change of classification, and a majority of these cases pertain to the 22A issue.
“More than 100 acres of land is embroiled in the 22A issue, and all 270 applications have been referred to the respective tahsildars. We have received reports on 95 cases and have disposed of 76 cases,” said former IAS officer Vijay Kumar, who is heading the SIT.
According to him, 22A is a major issue and many people have been suffering due to the lack of survey of sub-division of lands. “Once the survey is done and sub-division numbers are given, many cases will be de-notified,” he said.
Mr. Vijay Kumar also said that after the interim report was submitted in January to the State Government, 30 more cases pertaining to NOC (no-objection certificate) and 20 cases pertaining to allotment of government land were examined and the final report will be given shortly.
This apart, FIR has been filed in an encroachment case pertaining to two acres of land belonging to the Housing Corporation and two cases have been filed under Cr. P.C. Section 145 (Procedure where dispute concerning land or water is likely to cause breach of peace) against the concerned officers.
The SIT has so far received 1,380 applications under various heads and 342 of these have been disposed of.
Speaking on forest land encroached near the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP), SIT member and former IAS officer Y.V. Anuradha said that over 60 acres of forest land has been identified as encroached and an FIR has been filed.
