A detailed probe on cards into Vissannapeta land row

Anakapalli : After the formation of the BJP-TDP-JSP alliance, the alleged land issue of Vissannapeta in Anakapalli district came to the fore once again.

During the YSRCP government, there is an alleged involvement of the then IT minister Gudivada Amarnath and his close associates in the land grabbing related to survey No: 195/2 that falls under Bayyavaram village revenue purview of Vissannapeta, Anakapalli district.

Inam lands, D-patta, hill areas, poramboke lands form a part of the land issue extending up to 609 acres. When the YSRCP came to power, allotment of D-patta lands to the new beneficiaries with previous dates, conversion of government lands into Jirayat lands, levelling and covering naturally formed lakes and drains, lying of roads along the SC D-patta lands were the irregularities identified in the land dispute.

A host of irregularities were hushed up to facilitate construction of villas in the extent of land located 3.5-km from the national highway. As part of the real estate project launch, brochures were released by SR Gopinath Reddy and Boddeda Prasad under the banner of Vintage Mount Valley. According to sources, both of them are close associates of the then IT minister Amarnath.

Leaders of TDP and Jana Sena Party raised objections over the project as there were several irregularities involved in it. They alleged that Amarnath was behind the project and reportedly grabbed lands from the farmers to make way for the real estate project.

Years before, a section of revenue officials was said to be involved in tampering with the government lands and converting them into Jirayat lands. Despite several complaints raised against it with the district collector, no action was initiated against the officials.

Also, some of the local farmers complained against the land grabbing in the area with the Lokayukta. Following which, a committee was formed by Lokayukta, a probe was carried out and submitted to the collector. However, the report was kept away from the public domain.

Last year, the present Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan had visited Vissannapeta as JSP chief last year, brought the issue to the notice of the Union Government and sought a detailed probe into the land dispute.

Earlier, Pawan Kalyan mentioned that the reportedly encroached site at Vissannapeta belongs to the people and demanded that it should be returned to its rightful owners. He criticised the YSRCP government for violating the WALTA Act.

“It is the fundamental duty of the government to protect natural resources. Violating norms, a real estate venture is coming up in over 600-acre of land at Vissannapeta. Most of the region forms a part of the catchment area and the lands here belong to Dalits and government. There are no permits for about Rs.13,000-crore venture taken up here,” Pawan Kalyan pointed out.

Responding to allegations, Amarnath declared that he would quit politics if the allegation was proved or even a cent of land at Vissannapeta was registered in his name or family members.

Talking about the land scam, JSP PAC member Kona Tatarao said, “The YSRCP government did not pay heed to the land dispute in the past five years. But a complaint will be filed again with the District Collector for a detailed inquiry into the Vissannapeta land issue.”

When contacted, a official shared on condition of anonymity that there was no activity happening in the area at the moment. “There are pending cases related to the land dispute in the region. Until they are cleared, the project will not make any headway,” he said.