Revenue officers in Srikakulam ordered to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation

Srikakulam: The consumer disputes redressal commission in Srikakulam directed three revenue officials—the VRO, Mandal Surveyor, and Tahsildar (revenue officer) from Laveru Mandal—to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation and Rs 10,000 as litigation expenses to a 72-year-old man named Budumuru Suryakumar.

Suryakumar of Budumuru village, Laveru Mandal, Srikakulam district, stated that he applied for the survey of 1.5 acres of land in Budumuru village with survey numbers 123 of 9, 10, 11, and 12 sub-divisions and paid Rs 285. The application was submitted to the revenue officials on October 17, 2016, through an F-line petition per the MeeSeva Citizen Charter.

The petitioner claimed that revenue officials still needed to complete the land survey nine months after filing the petition. The petitioner also mentioned that he spent over Rs 60,000 clearing the bushes and others for the survey, but the officials kept postponing their duties.

The revenue officials challenged the petition, stating that the petitioner filed the complaint before the commission with a malafide intention. They also claimed that the petitioner sold part of the land (0.17 cents) to his brother and requested that the commission dismiss the complaint.

After hearing the petition and counterpetition, the commission led by President Raghupatruni Chiranjeevi, along with members Chitchula Shanmukha Rao and Gollu Radha Rani, observed that the revenue officials didn't inquire correctly and that no endorsement was given to the petitioner on his application.

The commission told the three revenue workers to give the complainant his e-pattadar passbook and title deed as soon as the name change for his 0.19 cents of land in Survey number 123-10 was complete. The commission also directed the officials to pay Rs 25,000 to the petitioner for the inconvenience, mental agony, and pain. They were also asked to pay the petitioner's legal costs of Rs 10,000.