Scrap endowments lands auction, says Congress

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded that the State Government take steps to stop auctioning of the lands owned by the Endowments department in Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. Opposition leader in the Legislative Council C. Ramachandraiah expressed concern that the Government was trying to handover the lands belonging to Sadavarthi Satram of Amareswara Swami temple located in Guntur district at throwaway prices. Mr. Ramachandraiah who led a fact-finding committee to the neighbouring State said the Government had auctioned 83.11 acres for Rs. 23 crore while the actual price was much higher. The tender process lacked transparency and the Government had decided to give away the lands through “namesake” auction.