HILT policy row: Sridhar Babu accuses BJP–BRS of enacting ‘political drama’

Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Industries and Commerce, and Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu made it clear that the HILT Policy is applicable only to the “freehold” lands and not for ‘leased lands of Government’, either in Industrial Parks or standalone. He also clarified that this policy clearly envisages re-development of old Industrial park layouts and improved infrastructure at standalone industrial localities by levying a ‘Development Impact Fee’, which also permits Change of Land Use as per Municipal laws. Crucially, no land title transfer or freehold of Government lands is involved. While speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday, Sridhar Babu found fault with the BJP for lodging a complaint with the Governor on Monday regarding the HILT policy. He alleged that the BJP has made it its job to blindly oppose the government's decisions and slammed that the opposition to the HILT policy is a drama enacted by both BJP and BRS parties. He questioned the BJP as to why they failed to question the previous BRS government when it granted a freehold title to leased land in the year 2022.

The Minister said that pollution has increased in Delhi and schools are being given holidays. “Our effort is to prevent the Delhi situation from coming to Hyderabad. The BJP and BRS want the Delhi pollution situation to come to Hyderabad. We have imposed a conversion fee on our own lands under the HILT Policy. BRS has usurped government lands... They have freely changed the title. We are trying to put the industrial lands that are demonstrably worth using into use,” Sridhar Babu said.

The Minister said that the BRS government converted a hundred acres of land belonging to a pharma company called SIRIS. "Didn't BRS remember the rules then?" he questioned. Industries did not come forward after BRS introduced 30 per cent SRO (Stamp and Registration Office) in the grid policy. "That is why the Congress government is taking a step forward and trying," he added. Due to BRS' negligence, polluting industries have increased in the vicinity of Hyderabad. He reiterated that the government has not taken any decision regarding government lands, but formulated a policy regarding the lands held by industries.

The Minister said that the Nacharam Industrial Association has supported the policy brought by the Congress government. “If we clean up the Musi, they will block it; if we move the polluting industries, they will block it. If you have any objections after the operation guidelines for the implementation of the policy are released, please tell us. The BRS government converted hundreds of acres of industrial lands without a policy. We will conduct an inquiry into the conversion of industrial lands under the BRS government. Conversion was done without a policy... This benefited some people. K T Rama Rao can write a letter to anyone, not just Rahul Gandhi. If K T Rama Rao talks nonsense, we will not tolerate it. If you have the courage, you should show proof of the allegations made by the opposition,” he said.

Sridhar Babu also slammed Harish Rao for making criticism even while knowing the rules, adding that there is nothing wrong with carrying out development programmes where there is no election code, as elections are being held in rural areas, not in cities.