Date:29/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/29/stories/2007042907150500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

402 acres of assigned lands surrendered

Staff Reporter

Action to be initiated against illegal occupants from tomorrow

ANANTAPUR: The district administration will initiate action to reclaim assigned and other Government lands under illegal occupation after April 29. Criminal proceedings will be initiated against illegal occupants apart from reclaiming the land from them, if they fail to surrender the lands voluntarily by the time fixed by the Government.

District Collector D. Kadmiel stated here on Saturday that 7,44,290 acres had been distributed to about 2.52 lakh beneficiary families of SCs, STs and backward classes so far, since the Land Reforms Act of 1977 came into force. In all, 3,701 cases had been registered in the district against illegal occupation of 11,778 acres.

In response to the Government's call for voluntary surrender of occupied lands, 119 persons surrendered 402 acres so far in Yadiki, Tadimarri, Chennekothapalli, Brahmasamudram and Kanekal mandals, he said. The tahsildars concerned would initiate legal proceedings against the remaining occupants after April 29, he said.

Drinking water

On the drinking water supply position, the Collector said water was being supplied through tankers to 47 villages in 18 mandals as of now and the number might go up in the coming weeks. Besides, 521 drinking water problems were identified during Praja Patham and they would require Rs. 5.01 crores.

Wages

On complaints of delay in payment of wages under NREGS, the Collector attributed the problem to scarcity of passbooks for opening accounts in post offices. Now that the administration had got about 25,000 passbooks printed the problem would be solved, he said.