A Group of Ministers (GoM) on ‘regularisation of unobjectionable encroachments in Government lands’ has decided to recommend to the State Cabinet the Gajuwaka model in regularising unobjectionable encroachments. Government approval committees and fee structure envisaged in the model would be followed while regularising the encroachments.
The GoM also felt the need for a fresh G.O. in view of contradictions in existing orders to regularise the encroachments. The GoM favoured regularisation of encroachments up to 100 square yards free of cost for both residential and commercial purposes. The GoM, however, decided to ask Visakhapatnam District Collector to submit a fresh report on the KRM Colony encroachments in Visakhapatnam.
Disparities
Addressing a press conference, Deputy Chief Minister K. E. Krishna Murthy, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and Urban Development Minister P. Narayana said that the GoM found that there were disparities between G.O.s 118 and 296 though both were aimed at regularising the encroachments. So, a fresh order would be issued notwithstanding the contents of these G.O.s, they said.
Mr. Ramakrishnudu said that the government constituted the GoM following representations by the people and public representatives that a large number of poor families were living on government lands in urban areas. The government received more than 16,000 applications following the issuance of G.O. 296 in 2015.
KRM Colony issue
Another G.O. 118 was issued in 2016 for regularising encroachments up to 500 square yards. But, there were some contradictions though the purpose was the same. To weed out such disparities, a new G.O. would be issued, he said.
Referring to the KRM Colony, the Minister said that the issue dated back to 1968.
Then Collector Ajeya Kallam submitted a report that the encroachments on cheruvu poramboke could be regularised. But the Apex Court directed that the cheruvu poramboke lands could not be regularised.
A subsequent report by then Collector Yuva Raj pointed out the SC judgment.
As there was a difference of opinion, the GoM decided to seek a fresh report from present Collector, he said.
