Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed officials to launch a state-wide crackdown on the encroachment of irrigation department lands, calling for urgent action to reclaim and secure these valuable public assets.At a high-level review meeting, the minister stressed zero tolerance for land encroachments, particularly in cases involving properties worth hundreds of crores of rupees. He instructed officials to act on a war-footing, begin immediate fencing of identified properties, and expedite the process of reclaiming encroached lands without delay.Uttam highlighted that significant tracts of land under Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute ) and Telangana Groundwater and Irrigation Research Laboratory, located near Gandipet and Rajendranagar, have been illegally occupied. Of the total 426.30 acres, 131.31 acres have been identified as encroached. Notably, 81.26 acres fall under the information technology investment region and are currently under litigation, while the remaining 50.13 acres have been directly encroached.The minister said that 20 cases related to these encroachments are pending in the district court, and two more cases are ongoing in the high court.“To recover these high value lands, officials from the irrigation department, HYDRAA, and revenue wings must work in close coordination. The department must also prepare a comprehensive inventory of all irrigation properties, including lands, buildings, and residential quarters, across Telangana on a priority basis,” Uttam said.To strengthen the legal protection of govt lands, the minister urged the advocate general to appoint a special govt pleader exclusively for the irrigation department.
