"The Rich Are Misusing GO No. 166"

Bedlam ensued in the state assembly on Tuesday as ruling Congress party and main opposition Telugu Desam Party members entered into heated exchanges over the allotment of prime land to the well-connected high and mighty in Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills in the city.

The heated arguments began soon after Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao replied to the question posed by CPI's J Ranga Reddy.

Ranga Reddy had sought information whether GO No. 166, issued in December 2003, was implemented for the regularisation of house sites to the poor.

Prasada Rao replied that the government had cleared 4,710 applications of the almost 90,000 applications received.

The CPI member disputed the figures and said that only 6,867 applications filed by the poor were cleared, granting them 80 square yards each. He alleged that rich and influential people were colluding with corrupt officials and being allotted thousands of square yards of prime land in the city.

Ranga Reddy also alleged that a former Hyderabad district Collector was involved in the allotment of such prime properties.

He also named a few politicians and their families of benefiting from the GO meant for providing housing to the poor.

The CPI leader also named prominent places in the city, and demanded that the allotments should be cancelled and an inquiry started.

The CPI member's words prompted other leaders to join in and cite other irregularities by the high and mighty to misuse the GO.

Venkata Veeraiah of the TDP named the members of YSR's family as the beneficiaries of the GO, which led to protests by the Congress members. Prasada Rao, meanwhile, tried to calm down the protesting members by saying that no irregularities were committed.

The bedlam saw members from the various other parties, too, cite the number of irregularities in the allotment of prime lands.

Courtesy: INN News