170.38 ha encroached upon by engineering colleges

Updated on: Saturday, September 17, 2011

A test-check of land records in 15 taluks between January and March 2010 has revealed that 40 private engineering colleges have encroached on government land to the extent of 170.38 hectares, a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General has revealed.

The value of the lands encroached, based on the value as on August 1, 2007, worked out to Rs.178.31 crore, the CAG's report for the 2009-10 said. These extents of land have been under encroachment for periods ranging from five to 25 years.

And the encroachers can still get away by paying paltry penalty of Rs.5 or Rs.10 per year, as the sum fixed in 1905 has not been amended since then.

The CAG report has noted that audit observations for the year 1986-87 had highlighted the encroachment on government land.

The Public Accounts Committee, in a report in the Assembly on August 30, 1996, had felt that existing measures adopted by the department were not effective in dealing with such encroachments and suggested speedy enactment of amendments. Again, the government auditor had pointed to this lacuna in the report for 2002-03. The government had then stated that a fresh law was under its consideration. “However, even after seven years, no such enactment has been made and the encroachments continued,” the latest report said.

When auditors brought this to the notice of the government in early 2010, the Revenue Department said all these encroachments were objectionable and action would be taken to evict them.

Noting that there was no action to evict the encroachers until December 2010, the CAG report said, “We recommend that the government may take necessary steps to clear those encroachments which are objectionable and to increase the rate of penalty to act as a stringent deterrent.”

170.38 ha encroached upon by engineering colleges

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