Two House Committees to probe land issues

Hyderabad, Nov 27 (INN): The Telangana Government on Thursday agreed to constitute two House Committees to probe into the alleged irregularities in various housing societies and to probe into encroachments on Wakf properties across the State.

The announcement was made by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao following a debate held through Call Attention Motion moved by MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi and other MLAs under Rule 74 in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday. MLAs Akbaruuddin Owaisi, Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala, Guvvala Balaraju and B Sanjeeva Rao demanded discussion on "Alleged irregularities in the Jubilee Hills and Film Nagar Housing Societies, the Wakf land involved therein and the measures taken by the government."

Replying to the debate, the Chief Minister said that several irregularities took place during the previous regimes. He said that there were 80 bundles of nearly 15,000 pages on the alleged irregularities in several housing societies.

Instead of repeating the history, KCR asked the members to advise on the action to be taken. He said that his government had nothing to hide and would take all measures to end irregularities and also take measures to protect Wakf properties. He also announced that the Wakf Tribunal would be strengthened by granting it judicial powers.

Speaking on the issue, Akbaruddin Owaisi alleged multi-crore scams in several housing cooperative societies across the State, especially those located in Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills areas. He demanded that the government table all the enquiry reports related to these societies and also the court orders of 2008 and 2014.

He dismissed the State Government's contention that 4448.4 sq yards along with 323.18 gts of land attached to Dargah Hazrath Hakeem Shah Saheb Baba's was not Wakf. He said there were documentary evidences to prove this claim. Demanding judicial enquiry into all the irregularities, he urged the government to direct the GHMC to stop giving building permissions on all those properties.

Akbar Owaisi also pointed out that Banjara Hills were meant for Banjara (tribes). But the entire land has been encroached upon. Responding to this, the Chief Minister announced that two Banjara Bhavans would be constructed in the area.

The TRS legislatures demanded constitution of House Committee to probe into the irregularities of housing societies. On Akbar Owaisi's request for a separate House Committee to look into Wakf land issues, the Chief Minister agreed to constitute two House Committees.

The move was welcomed by all political parties. Later, Speaker S Madhusudan Chary announced the constitution of two Joint Legislature Committee, comprising members of the Legislative Council and the Assembly.

MLAs G Balaraju, B Sanjeeva Rao, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Errabelli Dayakar Rao, NVSS Prabhakar were among those who participated in the discussion.