Corporator's husband occupies OU land worth Rs 200 cr

Hyderabad: Osmania University may soon miss out on a prime four-acre land that has historical relevance if an obsessive husband of a sitting corporator is allowed to go about implementing his devious game-plan.

The entire stretch from Tarnaka to Adikmet belongs to the university. Besides the arch that leads to Manikeshwar Nagar stands an old building, which once housed a primary school on the ground floor and a police station above it. However, over a period of time, both moved out. Alas, the building now looks forlorn.

However, the problem arose when the four-acre land around the building caught the attention of a Corporator's husband. According to the open market rate, the value of the land is a whopping Rs 200 crore.

In order to occupy the land, the man brought JCBs and demolished a part of the building despite the varsity putting up a ‘trespassers will be prosecuted’ board.

Long ago when it was time of collecting university lands, around 16 people came forward to buy the land, which were given by the then Nizam at Rs 2 per acre. That is precisely where Manikeshwar Nagar has come up. When it was ceded to Nizam by one Himmat Ali Khan, the Nizam declared that that the lands belonged to the university.

Himmat Ali Khan's heirs say that the land belonged to him and produced false documents. They also produced documents saying the University lands too are a part of their property.

VC, Registrar mum

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar are backing off from filing a complaint in the police station. The authorities did not raise protests when houses came up at Habsiguda and DD Colony.

In spite of the Student associations bringing the issue to their notice, there has been no action from the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar. They fear the ruling party influence in the issue.

Speaking on the issue, a senior ABVP member said, "Irrespective of the fovernment, political leaders have been occupying university lands. It is due to the negligence of the university officials that things like these happen. Even after knowing that it's the Corporator's husband who is occupying the land, they haven't said anything. They have given freedom to encroachers. The lands should be re-surveyed. We have stood up and defied when KCR proposed double-bedroom flats on the university lands. We will stand against the ruling party leader occupying the land as well. "

SFI state president said, "A white paper should be issued by the officials regarding the university lands. It is due to the negligence of the officials that lands have been illegally acquired. Even a complaint has not been filed. Actions should be taken against the invaders."