Revenue officials told to furnish land details

The Hindu: Hyderabad: Thursday, February 01, 2018.

Judge gives directive following a case filed in HC

Justice Ramalingeswar Rao of Hyderabad High court on Wednesday directed revenue officials of Vishakhapatnam to disclose all details of government lands in various survey numbers of Marripalem and Kapparada areas immediately to the applicant under the Right to Information Act.

This order assumed significance as there were allegations that these government lands worth hundreds of crores were snatched away by manipulation and the information was being stalled from being disclosed.

The judge was dealing with case filed by Laskshmi Narayana, who said valuable government lands are snatched away, allotted, mortgaged and revenue officials colluded with the land grabbers.

He sought information from the local revenue officers seeking information regarding entries in records pertaining to lands in Survey numbers 57/3, 4,5, 58, 59/1,2,3, 66/1 ,2,3,4, 58/1, 41/1,2.

When the local revenue officials stonewalled the applications under RTI Act, he approached the Information Commission. The Commission directed the officials to disclose the information on two occasions. The officials were refusing to give details. The judge expressed surprise at the attitude of officials.