GVL Narasimha Rao writes to Governor to constitute SIT to probe into land scams

Visakhapatnam: BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao wrote a letter to Governor of Andhra Pradesh Biswabhusan Harichandan requesting him to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into land scams in Visakhapatnam in 2019.

Although the YSRCP government constituted a SIT to probe into land scams in Visakhapatnam in 2019, the MP mentioned that the report was submitted last year in September, but it has not been made public thus far.

A similar SIT investigation was ordered by the previous TDP-led state government in 2017 and the voluminous report of the team was submitted in 2018. This report too was never made public, the MP said.

It is believed that efforts to curb large scale land grabbing in Visakhapatnam have come to light in both SIT reports, but they have been kept away from public's view to protect the vested interests. Both the SIT reports have been used to place a large number of privately-owned properties under Section 22A of the Registration Act, GVL mentioned in the letter.

Further, GVL requested the Governor to order the state government to release the two SIT reports on land scams and irregularities in Visakhapatnam. To protect public interest and safeguard fundamental rights of citizens to live a life of dignity, the MP also appealed to stop handing over Daspalla land as the land attracts urban ceiling restrictions and cannot be handed over to original owners.

Over 40,000 middle class families in Visakhapatnam are in huge crisis as restrictions imposed under Section 22A of Registration Act have thrown their lives into the throes of crisis as they cannot sell or transfer their property purchased or constructed. There is a need to evolve a policy to remove Section 22A restrictions from properties owned by middle class families and give them complete rights of ownership, GVL stated.

He demanded a suitable policy to be evolved by the state government to provide relief to common people suffering by the restrictions posed on ownership under Section 22A of the Registration Act. This will help hapless citizens of not just Visakhapatnam but also in other cities and towns of Andhra Pradesh as well, the MP added.