Cabinet takes serious note of BRS charges on industrial land policy

The State Cabinet has taken a serious note of the allegations made by BRS leaders against the State Government on the proposed Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation Policy (HILTP) asserting that the main Opposition was unable to digest the rapid strides made by the State since the Congress took over the reins.

Terming the charges made by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and former Minister T. Harish Rao as “baseless”, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao said the BRS was indulging in mudslinging against the Government for political gains. Relocation of industries within the ORR limits was not a new proposal and the issue was mooted by the Governments of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh as part of efforts to make the city pollution free.

The development followed the concerns expressed over the scope of pollution by these units and the National Green Tribunal too ordered relocation of these units. The Government took a decision to relocate the industry and ensure change of land use as multi-use zones after several complaints by the residents over the pollution being caused by the industries.

“Mr. Rama Rao himself mooted shifting of 200 industrial parks from the ORR limits when he was Minister between 2017 and 2022. Of these, 42 acres of land was converted from industrial to residential use during the BRS regime,” Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy reminded wondering how low could the BRS leaders stoop to gain political mileage out of every issue.

Moreover, the change of land use was proposed for the land which was not owned by the Government and it was in fact purchased by the industrialists decades ago. “Mr. Rama Rao and Mr. Harish Rao are aware of the fact but they are trying to mislead the people,” Mr. Krishna Rao said.

Stakeholders from the industry sought conversion free of cost, but the Government insisted on payment of amounts in a bid to raise resources. It was accordingly decided to allow 50 per cent of the SRO on lands with 80 ft roads abutting them and 30 per cent on those abutting roads of lesser span.

“The BRS has not learned lessons since its defeat in the 2023 elections. It has been trying to gain political mileage by raising baseless charges against the Government and the State Cabinet,” Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka said.

The Ministers recalled the BRS claims on the Jubilee Hills bypoll as referendum on the Congress Government’s functioning and said the people gave a befitting reply to the main Opposition in the elections. The BRS leaders were however indulging in levelling allegations against the Government as the local body elections were round the corner.

Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka alleged that the BRS resorted to change of land use during its tenure without following a policy and without taking approval from the State Cabinet. The deals were full of irregularities as thy were aimed at favouring a few selected by the party leaders internally. “Lands in industrial parks were converted to suit the requirement of select leaders of the BRS,” he alleged.

The Government, he said, would soon come out with details of the extent of land that was converted from industrial use to other purposes and the information of the beneficiaries who received the largesse would be revealed soon.

“Our Government has been transparent and a policy has been brought out in this direction to make the city pollution free as well as raise resources to the State exchequer,” he said adding the policy had been formulated after elaborate discussions with the officials concerned as well as the stakeholders.