The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged the State government to protect the farmers interests by ensuring their lands are shifted into the multiple or residential zones of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) by reviewing the existing Master Plan of 2012.
Addressing a press conference at the State office on Monday, Medchal urban district president S. Malla Reddy, rural district president B. Srinivas, Rangareddy rural district president B. Narsimha Reddy and Sangareddy district president C. Godavari said they have no objection to the government increasing the ambit of HMDA or bringing more villages under urban bodies, but want the ‘discrepancies’ in the Master Plan to be rectified to benefit farmers.
“Small and medium farmers with five to 10 acres of land have been hit hard as their respective lands were brought under the conservancy or peripheral zones in the Master Plan, where it is impossible to construct even a house for themselves. It is possible to have 10% construction even under G.O. 111 (protection of twin lakes) but not even one sq. yard here,” they said.
About 50,000 farmers in seven abutting districts including Sangareddy, Siddipet, Bhuvanagiri, and others in 750 villages, are directly affected due to zoning. At the same time, builders and brokers have profiteered by commercially exploiting lands located in residential or multi-zones, they said.
The process of seeking a change in the zone is also cumbersome as the file has to be processed by the Chief Minister’s Office, which is beyond the reach of small farmers, they alleged adding that those with political connections have been managing to do so where crores of rupees are changing hands.
“We have brought the farmers woes to the notice of the then Chief Minister N. Kiran Reddy Reddy when the Master Plan was notified but nothing was done. There was no movement during the 10-year BRS rule though there were cases of zones being changed outside the public domain,” alleged Mr. Malla Reddy.
The BJP leaders appealed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to make conversion of zone for farmers easier and also permissions for constructions within two months since it was taking close to a year to get the same. The party wanted farm lands of all the villages within the Outer Ring Road to be made residential – and multi-zone for up to five acres. The party has also decided to take up a campaign encouraging the affected farmers to write to the Chief Minister and also initiate a poster campaign to bring awareness on the issue.
Published – March 11, 2025 12:09 am IST
