Hyderabad, January 27: The government has called for explanations from the State Wakf Board on some major irregularities that have been brought to its notice in the selling and leasing out of the wakf properties in the city and elsewhere recently. According to sources the government has been informed of at least three cases in which the SWB has acted ‘indiscreetly’ or even with ‘malafied’ intention.
One of the major incidents relates to the Hazrath Ishaq Madani Dargah property in Devada village of Visakhapatnam district wherein 100 acre land has been given to an educational institution on a paltry rent of Rs 2,000 per acre with only Rs 1 lakh as deposit. The government felt that in leasing out this land the board did not take into consideration the well laid out norms. “The board appears to have acted in an arbitrary manner in this case,” the government is reported to have said in its memo to the SWB. The lease, however, has been blocked.
The government has also been informed about another case in which the entire 7.74 acre land belonging to Kottala mosque in Kurnool district was leased out for Rs 95,000 rent along with Rs 8 lakh as deposit. The complainant in this case who is also an aggrieved party provided documentary evidence to the government on how the property was leased out to a person when another candidate was ready to offer a better deal. “There are no records to show that certain procedure has been followed in leasing out the land. The officials who recommended the signing of the lease deed appear to have acted independent of the rule book,” the sources said.
In yet another case the government after receiving complaint from an individual wrote to the board to explain why rules, conventions and norms have not been followed in reportedly selling of a property in Hyderabad. According to sources a building in Kattal Mandi, Abids, known as Moin Manzil was reportedly sold away by the caretaker to a builder. The developer had offered to give only 21 percent built up area to the board. On negotiations he increased to 30 percent. But the government feels that even this offer too is less than the prevailing practice in the market.
“The board has to follow rules and develop systems and mechanisms in letting out and selling properties. It cannot function on the whims and fancies of some officials or members. The government has taken a serious view of the situation,” the sources said.
—SOurce:TOi