In Wanaparthy, government lands are increasingly being taken over by land-grabbers. This problem is made worse by the carelessness of the authorities. Even though some actions have been taken after public complaints, encroachments continue to occur in different areas of the district. The district’s unique geographical features, like hills, lakes, and forests, make it a desirable target for encroachers.
After the formation of the State and the creation of new districts, land prices have risen significantly, especially in Wanaparthy, which is now the district headquarters. This increase in land value has encouraged more encroachments. Land-grabbers often buy private lands near government properties at low prices and then illegally occupy adjacent government lands. They set up businesses there without proper permits, leading to several cases where innocent people end up buying plots on these encroached lands.
In the past, when the government tried to remove illegal structures from these lands, many innocent buyers were affected. Despite these interventions, illegal activities by land-grabbers continue. Some of these ventures even sell roads within plots, tricking buyers further.
Authorities have taken action against some officials in the Registration department, but the problem remains. For instance, in Srinivasapuram village, large portions of government land have been illegally occupied. Some farmers with private lands next to government properties have expanded their holdings by unlawfully taking over government land.
The Dharani website was introduced to digitize land records, but some people have still managed to transfer government lands into their names. Others continue to control lands that are identified as government property. Exploiting this situation, land-grabbers sell government land plots using forged documents, making a profit at the expense of unsuspecting buyers.
Residents are calling on authorities to act quickly to identify and protect government lands. They want further encroachments to be stopped to protect public interests.
