Govt taking steps to protect Wakf lands from encroachers: TS to HC

Hyderabad: The Telangana government is taking steps to ensure that Wakf lands scattered across the state are being protected from encroachers and land grabbers, a special government pleader informed a High Court Division Bench on 2 August.

The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N.V Shravan Kumar was hearing two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed by Mohammed Ilyas seeking a direction to the Telangana government to frame rules and regulations to preserve and maintain Muslim graveyards in the state.

Further, another PIL filed by Mohd. Babar Qureshi sought strict implementation of the Complete House Committee Report dated 10 January 1997 and immediate precautionary measures to protect Waqf lands worth crores in Telangana from illegal encroachments.

Harender Prasad, the special government pleader (GP), informed the Division Bench that the Telangana government is taking measures to protect Wakf lands from encroachers and land grabbers.

While apprising the court about the steps taken by the state, Mr. Prasad furnished a status report that said Wakf lands measuring 84.30 guntas that were under the clutches of land grabbers and encroachers were successfully recovered between 6 August 2021 and 15 February 2022.

Another piece of Wakf land located in Survey No. 415 of Hasanparthy in Warangal district and measuring 1.32 guntas was also recovered from encroachers.

Mr. Prasad further said not only in Hyderabad city but lands scattered in districts are also being protected as the special task force constituted by the chief executive officer of TS Wakf Board is continuously keeping a vigil over the Wakf lands spread across the state.

After hearing the special GP, the Bench disposed of the PILs.