NAGARKURNOOL: The real estate mafia in Nagarkurnool is infamous for encroaching tanks and ponds, turning them into parcels of land, and selling them for huge profits. 

In a fresh development, it has gotten hold of a land parcel located near an Eidgah on Sripuram Road in the district headquarters, which was kept aside for the construction of a government degree college for women. The district revenue officials had identified 5.11 acres of land for the college. They had also begun the construction last year. 

However, a few realtors recently bought the land abutting the college. While demarcating their land into plots for sale, the realtors encroached upon the land meant for the degree college. 

The matter came to light when two groups quarrelled with each other regarding a piece of land in the same area and lodged complaints with the police. On learning about the matter, the local MLA conducted a survey on the land and subsequently directed the officials concerned to redo the boundaries for the construction of the college. 

However, even as 20 days passed, the officials failed to take action against the persons concerned. They alleged that they were forced to stop the survey midway owing to mounting pressure from the real estate mafia. The survey was officially halted citing the presence of bushes. 

Commenting on the issue, MLA M Janardhan Reddy made it clear that he would not permit anyone to encroach government lands. "I will not let it happen even if the encroacher was my own brother. I have issued orders to fix the boundaries of the 5.11-acre land for the women’s degree college," he said.