Telangana Commercial Taxes Minister T. Srinivas Yadav asserted on Wednesday that the State government would crack the whip against encroachment of government lands and those around water bodies in the city even while protecting the interests of the poor.
Mr. Yadav, who heads the team of elected representatives constituted for the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), on Wednesday carried out field inspection of HMDA lands at Jawaharnagar and several water bodies in and around the city.
Speaking to presspersons during the visit, he said the government would ‘act ruthlessly’ against those encroaching upon government land and constructions in full tank levels of water bodies in the city.
“However, a more considerate approach will be adopted towards the poor involved in such circumstances,” he said.
Lack of commitment on part of previous governments and absence of coordination between different departments have led to breeding of corrupt practices and encroachments, he claimed. “Corruption has been high at all levels in the HMDA and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has taken steps to cleanse it and appointed a new Metropolitan Commissioner (Shalini Mishra) for the purpose,” he said.
The committee of elected representatives had gone through various issues of the HMDA and submitted a report to the Chief Minister and due action will follow soon, the Minister said. Apart from Jawaharnagar, the team visited Fox Sagar at Jeedimetla, Rangadhamini Lake at Kukatpally and Sunnam Cheruvu at Borabanda.
Cash-for-vote case
On the cash-for-vote case, Minister T. Srinivas Yadav said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was trying desperately to wriggle out of the case and ‘behaving like a child’. However, there is no escape, Mr. Yadav sought to assert, adding that if the notice of ACB was refused, appropriate action would follow.
