Ignorance or indifference?

DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: It has happened not just once. On many an occasion, bureaucrats in Andhra Pradesh tend to overlook none other than the Chief Minister's directives, even on crucial matters.
In the latest instance, the Revenue Department has apparently overlooked the Chief Minister's decision in allotting land to the Police Transport Organisation (PTO) in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh.
Though Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy cleared the proposal for allotment of a 50-acre site at Tattiannaram village under Hayathnagar mandal in Ranga Reddy district to the PTO for relocation of its existing facilities from Petlaburz, the revenue department allotted only 15 acres, much to the consternation of the police department.
Additional Director General of Police S A Huda took up the issue with Director General of Police S S P Yadav, who in turn has decided to write to the Chief Minister protesting the issue.
The issue threatens to snowball into yet another controversy between the revenue and the police departments, it is feared.
It is learnt that some realtors have set their eyes on this valuable land as the Rajiv Swagruha Corporation is expected to take up a major venture on a 35-acre site in the vicinity. "Once the Swagruha project kicks off and the PTO too is relocated, the village will transform into a major suburb. Hence the realtors are eager to grab whatever land is available at Tattiannaram," a top official said.
The police department has already handed over a portion of its 15-acre site at Petlaburz to the health department, which is constructing a new building for the Government Maternity Hospital. The existing maternity hospital near Puranapul will be relocated to the new building. The health department owes Rs 20 crore to the police on this land transfer.
In lieu of this land, the PTO requested the Ranga Reddy district administration to allocate 50 acres at Tattiannaram for setting up its facilities. Accordingly the then Ranga Reddy district Collector Praveen Prakash recommended that the required land be allotted. The empowered committee headed by the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration too has recommended alienation of the land in survey number 73 at Tattiannaram. The Chief Minister too gave his nod for allocation of the required land to enable the PTO to construct its office building, a motor transport park, vehicle workshop, service station, hospital, parade ground, vehicle auction yard and a training branch. Besides, residential quarters for the 892 staffers -- from the Additional DG to a class-IV employee -- of PTO are required to be built. Police contend that unless the residential quarters are built, the staff cannot relocate to the new place that is over 25-km away from the city. "The PTO here caters to over 14 police units besides the Chief Minister, Home Minister and the DGP's convoy vehicles. Unless full-fledged facilities are provided at the new premises, relocation will not be possible. So, we require 50-acres of land," a top police official said.
The Ranga Reddy district administration has informed the government that about 99 acres of land is available out of the total 230 acres in Survey No. 73 at Tattiannaram village. Some local farmers have reportedly been cultivating a portion of this land on temporary pattas obtained from the Ranga Reddy district authorities. The issue was brought to the notice of the Chief Minister who reportedly directed that the temporary pattas be revoked and the lands taken back. The revenue authorities, however, did not take any action in this regard, informed sources said.
When contacted, a high-ranking revenue department official said: "The land at Tattiannaram is worth about Rs 70 lakh an acre and we can't gift it away to the police. We are looking at some alternatives."