Hyderabad: Continuing the crackdown on unauthorised constructions, authorities in Greater Hyderabad on Wednesday issued notices to colleges owned by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Marri Rajasekhar Reddy.
Revenue officials issued notices to MLR Institute of Technology (MLRIT) and Institute of Aeronautical Engineering in Dundigal in Medchal Malkajgiri district on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
There are allegations that the two colleges have been built illegally in the Full Tank Level (FTL) and Buffer Zone of Chinna Damaracheruvu Lake.
The two colleges are part of the chain of educational institutions run by the family of BRS leader and MLA Malla Reddy. The former minister is the father-in-law of Rajasekhar Reddy.
The notices were issued amid the ongoing drive by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) to remove encroachments on lakes, ponds, other water bodies, parks, roads and open lands.
Last week, a police case was registered against BRS MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy for allegedly building Anurag University in the buffer zone of a water body at Venkatapuram, Medchal-Malkajgiri district.
It was alleged the Anurag Group of Institutions, under Gayatri Educational Trust, trespassed and constructed a college building, damaging Nadam Cheruvu, a restored tank in the buffer zone. The tank was restored under Mission Kakatiya Phase-IV.
After demolishing the alleged illegal structures of popular actor Nagarjuna, an MLA and MLC of AIMIM and some other politicians, HYDRA is now focussing its attention on the educational institutions built by Rajeshwar Reddy, Malla Reddy and AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi allegedly in the FTL and buffer zone of lakes.
A few corporators of BJP on Tuesday met HYDRAA Commissioner A. V. Ranganath, seeking action against Fatima Owaisi College allegedly built in FTL of Salakam Cheruvu Lake.
The IPS officer said that demolishing the colleges in the middle of the academic year would cause suffering for the students.
HYDRAA has received several requests from parents to spare educational institutions from the demolition drive as the academic year was in progress.
Ranganath confirmed that several parents have approached and requested him to postpone demolition until the end of the academic year.
Officials on Tuesday reportedly visited Fatima Owaisi College and also the farmhouse taken on lease by BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao in Janwada village in Rangareddy district.
As the High Court has refused to pass any orders to restrain authorities from demolishing the farmhouse, HYDRAA is likely to take action at any time.
Rama Rao has said he was ready to cooperate if the farmhouse was built illegally but demanded action against the farmhouse and guesthouse built by Congress leaders in violation of the norms.
HYDRAA, constituted recently by the state government, has so far reclaimed 43 acres of land by demolishing illegal structures on lakes including the N-Convention Centre of actor Nagarjuna, buildings owned by AIMIM MLA Mohammed Mubeen and MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig on heritage lake Bum-Rukn-Ud-Dowla and the properties of former union minister and Congress leader Pallam Raju’s brother Pallam Anand (ORO sports), Kaveri Seeds owner and former member of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) G.V. Bhasker Rao and BJP leader Sunil Reddy, who contested as MLA candidate from Manthani constituency.
–IANS