Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, on 12 July 2024, released a white paper detailing alleged land scams and the exploitation of natural resources by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) over the past five years. The Chief Minister accused the previous government of destroying forests, looting lands and minerals, and committing land grabs under the guise of house construction in Visakhapatnam, Ongole, and Chittoor. Vowing protection to the public, he also announced the introduction of the AP Land Grabbing Act.
In the white paper, Chandrababu Naidu highlights specific cases of alleged misconduct in Visakhapatnam:
Nature of violation – Illegal change of purpose of alienation
Ramanaidu Studios: Land allocated to Ramanaidu Studios, intended to promote film shootings, was illegally reclassified as residential property at the district level. This case is currently pending in the Supreme Court.
Hayagreeva Lands: Chandrababu Naidu accused former YSRCP MP Hayagriva of acquiring 12.51 acres of land meant for an old age home and diverting it for residential development. An FIR has been filed against MP MVV Satyanarayana in this matter.
Nature of Violation – Alienation free of cost/lower cost
Sarada Peetham: 15 acres of land valued at Rs 22 crore was sold to Sarada Peetham for just Rs 1 lakh per acre in Kothavalasa (V) of Bheemili (M), violating norms of land alienation.
SAHI Hearing Care: According to Chandrababu Naidu, 1 acre of land worth Rs 15.333 crore in Yendada village was allotted to SAHI Hearing Care free of cost.
Moving forward, Chandrababu Naidu emphasized that these actions have led to significant environmental degradation and resource depletion. He discussed the AP Land Tilting Act, 2023, and emphasized that the act was brought about unilaterally without public discussion, and it had several deviations from the modal NITI Aayog Act. It put the properties of people under threat of occupation by YSRCP leaders. Furthermore, the Title Registration Officers, who decided on succession matters instead of civil courts, worked under YSRCP leaders. Ultimately, the AP Government has decided to repeal the act, he said.
In its stead, an AP Land Grabbing Act will be introduced. The total land-related fraud assessed so far amounts to Rs 35,576, based on district reports, court cases, and public complaints. However, the quantum of land grabbed may be much higher, he said. To protect citizens, the AP government is set to bring forth an AP Land Grabbing Act, similar to the Gujarat Land Grabbing Act, to punish the culprits.
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