Demanding a CBI inquiry into the land scandals in VUDA, the TDP announced that on Saturday it would lay siege to the district Collectorate demanding government action on the ‘unprecedented scams.'
TDP district president Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu told reporters here that though VUDA Vice-Chairman Kona Sasidhar had sent a detailed report to the State Government and in spite of the Assembly being in session, no response was forthcoming from the government and no action was initiated.
He pointed out that it was the practice to make a statement in the House by the Minister concerned, in this case the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister, M. Maheedhar Reddy and his silence was giving rise to suspicion.
‘Make report public'
TDP also demanded that the report be made public and all allotments made between 2007 and 2012 be cancelled.
On the assertion by Minister for Investments Ganta Srinivasa Rao that none, however high, would be spared, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu questioned his credibility in the light of allegations against him, particularly in the leasing of Bhavani Islands at Vijayawada.
Reacting to questions on the involvement of TDP leaders, including MLA V. Ramakrishnababu, he said a CBI inquiry would bring out all the facts and leaders, irrespective of parties, would be brought to book.
He said two questions had already been raised in the ongoing session of the Assembly and they were admitted.
The TDP leader said 745 acres of land allotted for community purposes by the District Collector was given away to the ineligible without even his permission.
He also questioned how 80 cents of land was allotted to Ram Prasad in Sector II of MVP Colony.
Compensation
In another case in survey no.s 126 and 129, 750 square yards of land was given as compensation to each of those who went to the court even without the order of the court.
Party leaders Bharanikana Rama Rao, Anjaneya Raju, Kona Tata Rao, Narasimha Naidu and C.S. Naidu were present.
VHR's demand
The former APCC president and Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao too sought a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in land allotments by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA).
In a statement issued here, he said the investigation should cover all allotments made since the year 2000.
Mr. Hanumantha Rao said people were complaining that VUDA had taken up improvement of infrastructure in areas such as Madhurawada and Paradesipalem, and land was acquired without giving the promised 750 square yards to the affected people.
Procedure faulted
Mr. Rao, who also wrote a letter in this regard to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, criticised the procedure for allotting land through auction instead of by draw of lots.
This resulted in only big real estate firms cornering quite a number of plots.
Those from the LIG/MIG categories were not in a position to participate in the auctions.
“This has also paved the way for artificial increase in land price, which made it difficult for the poor and the downtrodden to access urban land,” he said.
