Visakhapatnam: Government school lands to be mapped, digitised

Visakhapatnam: In a step to improve transparency, update the records, create a database and prevent encroachments, a detailed resurvey of lands belonging to government schools will be taken up.

The main objective of the exercise carried out by the Department of School Education is to guard the lands of the government schools and demarcate the boundaries by putting up a fence.

Initiated as a part of the YSR Jagananna Shaswata Bhu Hakku and Bhu Raksha scheme, the boundaries of the schools will be mapped and recorded. "The exercise which is scheduled to start soon will not only place a check on the land disputes but also serve as a ready reckoner in future," reasons B Lingeswara Reddy, District Educational Officer.

Making use of advanced technology such as drones and with the help of the Continuous Operating Reference Stations (CORS) Network, the task will be carried out by the School Education Department with the support of the revenue, panchayat and municipal corporation officials.

The daunting task of resurvey will be taken up in 5,300-plus government schools in Visakhapatnam, including 3,514 primary, 754 upper primary and 1,105 high schools and mapping will be done for the lands owned by them.

Lack of boundaries in government schools often gave way to encroachments. Though most institutions have built both temporary and permanent fences, their lands are often not being protected from the encroachers.

Based on the database generated, the compound walls or fence will be facilitated and the lands thus mapped will be utilised for expansion needs of the schools in future.

Except a few records which are available with the revenue department, most government schools do not have any record of lands owned by them.

However, with a comprehensive mapping of lands in a time-bound manner, the school education department is planning to digitise the database so as to avoid any chance of manipulation.