Nellore: A massive land scam has come to light in Nellore Rural constituency. Government reserve land worth Rs.150 crore, meant for public parks and utilities, has been illegally encroached.
The land, originally set aside by real estate developers for community spaces like parks, was silently taken over by local elements. Some of them built houses on it.
The illegal occupation was uncovered during a four-month survey done by Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, under a plan to develop parks under the P4 initiative.
The encroachments took place in prime locations such as Ramalingapuram, Haranathapuram, Iscon City, Kavery Avenue, BV Nagar, Padarupalli and Podalakur Road — all in the heart of Nellore. Adding to the gravity, some encroachers forged documents to claim ownership.
Sridhar Reddy, speaking to Deccan Chronicle, said, “They are pressuring me to keep quiet, but I will take this matter forward.”
Reddy said that in order to prevent further encroachments, the state government has allocated Rs. 7 crore to build compound walls to the reserve sites within 90 days. This apart, some 29 modern parks are planned. “We’ve laid the foundation for 14 parks.”
In a stern warning, he said repeat offenders would face serious consequences, rowdy sheets for first-time offenders, and PD Act cases for second-time encroachments. “I’ve asked the police to stay out of land deals and not act as middlemen,” he said.
