Hyderabad: A day after 600 houses on Bhoodan land in Velugumatla village were demolished, Khammam district collector Anudeep Durishetty said that the demolitions and seizures carried out by the district administration were entirely legal.He stated that 31 acres and seven gunta of Bhoodan land were subject to encroachment, with an estimated total value of over Rs 250 crore. “The govt was able to protect a significant asset by taking possession of the Bhoodan Board land following orders from the CCLA (chief commissioner of land administration) and the high court,” he said. He pointed out that a writ petition had been filed in the Telangana HC regarding the demolitions conducted on Feb 24, but the court had rejected it.He also stated that a thorough investigation by the Bhoodan Yagna Board and the revenue department had revealed forged documents and unlawful allocations, and that criminal charges had already been filed against several individuals with ongoing legal proceedings.The collector said that the govt took possession of the remaining land, excluding structures with an HC stay. “The seized land will be used for future public purposes and the government will take appropriate measures to ensure justice for the local poor who lost their homes,” he said.Meanwhile, evicted families protested on the Khammam–Wyra road against the demolition of their houses.
