Residents in Kothagudem seek regularisation of lands under GO 76

Around 2200 residents in the coal town Kothagudem are waiting for regularisation of residential and commercial sites under the GO 76 which was issued by the BRS government in August 2019.

Kothagudem: As many as 2200 residents in the coal town Kothagudem are waiting for regularisation of residential and commercial sites under the GO 76.

It might be noted that the previous BRS government had issued GO 76 in August 2019 following the request of MLAs in coal belt areas in view of long pending demand of locals who were living unauthorisedly on government lands and wanted the lands regularised.

---

Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) lands that were encroached upon over the past several years under various survey numbers were handed over to the government in Kothagudem, Bhupalpally, Asifabad, Adilabad, Mancherial and Peddapalli districts.

The process of regularising such lands was initiated by the previous BRS regime after 16 years of gap as such an exercise was done during the YSR government in 2004. When the GO was issued in 2019, over 7, 000 residents in Kothagudem town applied for pattas.

After conducting the survey nearly 4,700 residents were issued pattas in the first phase. As many residents could not apply for regularisation of lands due to various reasons GO 28 was issued continuing GO 76 to regularise the lands with a cutoff date of June 2, 2020 by the then BRS regime.

Applications were received from 2, 200 residents and conducting of survey continued until September, 2023 and the process came to a standstill as election code of conduct came into force in the last week of October. There was no progress in the regularisation process even after the new government was formed.

Speaking to Telangana Today a resident of Rama Talkies area, B Rani wanted the Congress government to immediately revive the regularisation process. She said she has already paid 25 percent of the total price fixed for regularising the land and was waiting to pay the remaining 75 percent price for the issuance of convenience deed.

According to officials, the survey of the lands of 100 applicants was completed out of 2,200 applicants. When contacted tahsildar D Pullaiah said the regularisation of lands which was stopped due to election code could only be continued if the government issues orders.