Encroachment of Bhoodan lands will not be tolerated: Khammam Collector

A few brokers were collecting money from the innocent poor people and inciting them to encroach on Bhoodan and surrounding patta lands and thus cheating them

Khammam: District Collector VP Gautham said that encroachment of Bhoodan lands in Khammam Urban mandal in the district would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken against the perpetrators.

In a statement here on Saturday he said that Bhoodan lands were located in the survey numbers 147, 148 and 149 at Velugumatla. A few brokers were collecting money from the innocent poor people and inciting them to encroach on Bhoodan and surrounding patta lands and thus cheating them.

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Gautham noted that it came to his notice that the brokers have collected Rs 40, 000 to Rs 1 lakh from each person. People from Suryapet, Tallada besides Khammam have tried to encroach on the lands.

As many 300 sheds that were erected on the encroached land were demolished. People should not be deceived by the promises of the brokers. Criminal cases would be registered against land encroachers and those who encouraged them, he warned.

It might be noted that a large group of men and women have arrived at the land near the collectorate and built temporary sheds and huts on Saturday in a bid to encroach the lands. They reached the spot in auto rickshaw trolleys carrying cement and wooden poles along with asbestos and iron sheets.

Some of the people, speaking to the media, claimed that they submitted applications to Telangana Bhoodan Yagna Board for house sites in Jan 2014 and in the same year in April the board gave proceedings to 2,000 families.

The incident led to mild tension as the men and women staged a protest against demolition of the huts and also entered into heated arguments with police.