By Mohd Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh [AP] govt have taken up 2131.38 hectare Wakf land of Hazrat Baba Sharifuddin Dargah located at Pahade Sheriff for the AP industrial infrastructure corporation [APIIC] to develop the Shamsabad international airport. AP govt hasn’t even consulted the Wakf board prior to the decision.
The public was unaware regarding this fact and it came out only when the Legislative council member of Telungu Desam Party [TDP] Mohd Jani, raised a question to the minority affairs minister Mr. Ahmedullah during the question hour, regarding the measures taken by government to compensate for the wakf land acquired to develop new international airport.
Mr Ahmedullah replied saying that 981.2 hectares of land has been given to APIIC out of which 100 hectares of land is granted to the AP housing board, for the Air port construction 1051.34 hectare land has been granted and 98.12 hectare land will be used to make roads, schools and housing facilities.
“In 1966 the whole land was allotted to animal husbandry department, since then the revenue department has been considering it as a government property and so the Wakf board permission was not sought” the minister said. But he agreed on the fact that the land is under Wakf board ownership as it is registered with the wakf board, under survey number 99/1.
The minister’s reply has created troubles for the government; with the Muslim MLC’s cutting across party lines, started criticizing the government for its ambiguous policies towards wakf properties. The house soon got disturbed by the issue and the minister has promised to take a note of it.
When the house got adjourned Mr Ahmedullah issued a notice to the collector of Ranga Reddy district to furnish details regarding the allotment of Wakf land. Minister in his notice have sought explanation from the collector on how the Wakf land is allocated to government agencies without prior permission from the Wakf board.
The 2131.38 hectare land is worth around 500 crore rupees, the government has taken it with out even providing minimum compensation to the Wakf board under the land acquisition act.