The Miyawaki plantation GHMC has taken up in the land belonging to the Victoria Memorial Home Residential School in Kothapet, purportedly as birthday gift to Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA & UD) K.T.Rama Rao, does not have official sanction.
Notwithstanding GHMC’s claim that the VM Home had voluntarily agreed for planting the 13-acre land behind the Kothapet Rythu Bazaar, officials from the residential school said they had not given any permission. “In fact, they had begun the plantation without even seeking any permission. Noticing this, we dashed letters to the Deputy Commissioner and Zonal Commissioner concerned asking them to stop the work,” informed sources from the school.
After the objection, a letter seeking permission was addressed to the Secretary of the school by the Deputy Commissioner, which assured that the land will be returned to the school after plantation. However, the officials did not wait for any permission, and went ahead with the plantation work. On Friday, Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, along with Mayor Bonthu Ram Mohan launched the plantation works and assured that the piece of land will be developed into the biggest Yadadri model park, with 2 lakh saplings planted by the month-end. The trees are expected to attain full growth within two years, and resemble thick forests.
Lack of permission from relevant authorities came out when alumni of the school began to protest. They conducted a demonstration near the site, and submitted a memorandum to the school authorities, asking them to stop the work. “These are trust lands and cannot be used for purposes other than orphans’ education. If they plant a forest here, it will be rendered useless for taking up future constructions. The High Court had already ruled that the government has no right to use the trust lands for any other purpose,” said B.Maheshwar, president of the VM Home Alumni Association.
Representation by the Association mentioned that there is an urgent need for construction of a junior college in the VM Home lands, as the students need Intermediate education after SSC. Already, the VM Home school grounds on the other side of the road are being used for Rythu Bazar which had been shifted from its previous location owing to the need for larger premises in view of COVID-19. The present site too was used as temporary location for the Kothapet Fruit Market, before it was shifted to Koheda.
When contacted for his version, Deputy Commissioner Krishnaiah said the intention was only to protect the land from possible encroachments. After plantation, the land will be handed over to the school. About permission, he said the decision had been made after talks at the ministerial level.
As per the latest information, Minister for Social Welfare, Koppula Eshwar, who is also the Chairman of the VM Home Residential School, has reportedly instructed the GHMC officials not to plant the entire site, and instead, plant only along the boundary.
