Wakf can be described as a religious endowment made in the name of Allah for the benefit of the poor and needy in the Muslim community.
Toli Masjid, a heritage site built in 1671 AD is in the neighborhood of 2km from Golconda Fort. Built by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar during the reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah, the Masjid is encroached by land-grabbers.
As per declaration of Archaeological Survey of India, the masjid is a “protected heritage site”.
It has 27 acres and 30 gunta of Wakf property attached to it but sorry to say more than 17 acres of this land have been intruded by politically influential land grabbers and in spite of being specifically told by Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali on January 28, the officials are yet to instigate action.
Mahboob Pride Palace, one such illegally constructed function hall became operational last month in spite of FIR against owner who encroach acre of Wakf land.
Hand in glove:
The question arises here is that how can such a big land can be encroached under to the nose of area MLA? According to Mr Osman Bin Mohammed al Hajri, president of Deccan Waqf Protection Society, the issue has been raised since 2006 when a plot of land used for cultivation purpose by the people who claimed to have purchased it and since then several letters has been sent by the Wakf Board which have been ignored by the state.
The GO MS No 565 states: “The Municipal Corporations and Municipalities in the State of Andhra Pradesh should within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of representation made or notice sent by any person with the complaint regarding illegal/unauthorised construction, invariably give a written response to the person sending representation or notice.” Although no such correspondence has been obtained by activists.
Illegal function hall constructed
27 acre 30 guntas of land is recorded as Waqf under the masjid, regardless of this fact, construction of illegal function halls is continued on 14200 sqyd land. Land grabbers have already completed construction of a function hall while two more are still being constructed. Police and GHMC remained mute spectators.
Special officer Waqf Board sent the details of nearly 49 representations along with High Court Waqf Tribunal orders and documentary proofs of the land being Waqf land to district collector, Special Officer Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Commissioner Police Hyderabad, but no action has been taken to stop the unauthorised construction.
With Deccan Chronicle inputs:
http://epaper.deccanchronicle.com/articledetailpage.aspx?id=2027502