Mutt land in centre of controversy in Tirupati

Tirupati: The revenue authorities bid to resume Swami Hathiramji Mutt land in the prime area of the city stirred the hornet nest with the affected and political parties stiffly opposing the move.

Acting on a letter from the Mutt to District Collector for the removal of illegal structures on the Mutt land, following the High Court order last year, the revenue authorities along with a big contingent of police took up a day long demolition of 40 houses, last week.

Though the demolition of the structures did not continue for more than a day, it unleashed a fear among the occupants now leaving with uncertainty and worries unable to fathom the intention behind the move to evict them after so many years.

The occupants are from various economic strata–homeless poor, middle and lower income group people working in private and government departments and also influential politicians and businessmen while lands changing many hands involving thousands of crores turned the land issue grave and murkier.

Almost all the Mutt land measuring 174.75 acres worth about Rs 800 crore is under illegal occupation. Hundreds of permanent houses came up on the land and even the vacant site were fenced and well protected with compound wall while modest estimates reveal that more than 2,000 residents paying tax to Avilala panchayat, since many years and roads and electrification were also provided to the colonies came up on the Mutt land.

There is no wonder that everyone–land sharks, the realtors, politicians and also landless poor eyeing for the property leading to the land almost devoured by them in the last 10-15 years.

With city rapidly expanding thanks to the booming pilgrim economy the value of the land soared in the city forcing the people look towards the Mutt land, the demand for which increased with the 60 feet road connecting the city and the national highway coming up.

The farmers to whom the Mutt leased the land for cultivation became an easy way to acquire the land for payment while the influential forcibly occupied pieces of land taking advantage of the loopholes in the law and weak Mutt administration.

The land in question which is originally an Inam land was jointly registered in the name of Bugga Mutt and Cochi Venkobarao in December 1856 and immediately after registration the Cochi family give away their undivided share of land on lease to Bugga Mutt for cultivation on the condition of annual payment of 7.5 putties of paddy to Cochi family.

Bugga Mutt sold away it share and also transferred the land taken from Cochi family on lease basis to Swamy Hathiramji Mutt in 1884, since then land is under the control of the Mutt.

The Cochi family made frantic efforts to get their share of land back after the 99-year lease period was over in vain but continuing the efforts while farmers having enjoyment rights and purchasers including the influential among them more so the politician making the resumption of the land tough for the Mutt.

There is no doubt that for one reason or other Hathiramji Mutt was in deep slumber and opened its eyes only after the illegal occupation of land turned out of hand. It is going to be seen whether the Hathiramji Mutt which claim total land on the ground that Cochi family also sold its share to Bugga Mutt, be able to carry such large scale demolition which bound to create furore all over the State to get all its land.

Sources indicate that revenue authorities at the behest of ruling party leaders are keen on resuming as much as land possible for distribution to poor under the government ambitious 25 lakh pattas to homeless poor by Ugadi much to the bewilderment of the occupants including innocent purchasers leaving in constant fear and confusion.

In a significant development, the Collector NB Gupta formed special teams after holding a close door meeting with Urban SP KKN Anburajan and Tirupati RDO Kanaka Narasa Reddy to supervise the eviction on Mutt land.