Nearly 13,000 families that constructed houses will benefit once the land of the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam in five villages around Simhachalam caught in a legal wrangle for decades is resolved.
In the first Cabinet meeting held in Visakhapatnam in 2014, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had promised to resolve the issue in 100 days.
Three years later in July 2017 while giving away pattas under the Gajuwaka House Committee lands, he said the issue was in court and would be resolved soon.
According to a House Committee report, the land in the five villages of Adavivaram, Venkatapuram, Vepagunta, Cheemalpalli and Purushottapuram is more than 11,000 acres.
Acting on the Cabinet decision, the government has resolved to give land equal to the extent on which the houses stood and wanted to regularise the houses on payment at rates fixed and issued a GO too, says former Minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy who represents the Pendurti Assembly constituency in which four of the five villages fall. The land is proposed to be given at Prahladapuram and Koduru in Anakapalle mandal.
In a case filed by some peethadhipatis, the High Court heard contentions about the value of the land offered in lieu of the one on which the houses stood and money from the land on which houses constructed was not adequate and the judgment was reserved.
With the Devasthanam enforcing its rights, no fresh construction in the land or even repairs to the houses are allowed putting the families to hardship.
The MLA, who was on a sub-committee during the previous TDP rule, said at that time too the GO 578 was issued for regularisation. But later with the change in the government, the process came to a halt and the heads of a few peethams went to court.
‘Cancel the ryotwari pattas’
After a compromise in a court case, ryotwari pattas were issued by the MROs of Pendurti and China Gadili in favour of the Devasthanam. However, an order by the RDO, Visakhapatnam, in 2010 faulted the procedure followed for issuing the pattas.
Contending that the Devasthanam had no right over all the land, Forum for Development of North Andhra general secretary A. Aja Sarma says the government should take a political decision cancelling the ryotwari pattas and recognising the rights of the house owners and the farmers cultivating land. The report of the three-member official team constituted in 2014 with regard to Title Deed no.1180 in Adavivaram land and the order of the RDO should be taken into account.
However, both the MLA and Mr. Sarma agree that those living in the houses cannot be evicted.
