In a significant development, the Andhra Pradesh government has taken back assigned lands associated with former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Saraswati Power Industries. Local Tahsildar orders in the Palnadu district have formalized the reclamation of 17.69 acres. This decision follows allegations of land encroachment raised by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan during his recent visit to the site.
The controversy surrounding these lands is as old as it dates back to Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure as Chief Minister, when the lands were first allocated. Questionable validity of the allocation, encroachments by them, and a myriad of other issues have cropped up during the years. Adding to the complexity, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) previously attached some of these lands as part of its investigations into Jagan’s financial affairs. More recently, the matter resurfaced during disputes involving Jagan and his sister Sharmila.
Deputy CM Pawan’s on-site inspection brought renewed focus to the issue. During his visit, he accused Saraswati Power Industries of illegally occupying over 1,324 acres, including 34 acres of assigned lands. Pawan alleged that Jagan had manipulated government orders during his tenure to secure the lands and claimed that locals were coerced into surrendering their properties. He further criticized the decision to lease these lands for 50 years, calling the arrangement suspicious and unjustified.
Jagan, however, defended his actions, citing official reports from the current administration that purportedly found no irregularities in the land allocations. He maintained that the lands were acquired legally and at prices higher than market value. Jagan also pointed out that he had previously challenged decisions regarding these lands in court during Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership.
The reclaimed lands include 13.80 acres in Vemavaram and 3.89 acres in Pinnelli, both located in the Machavaram Mandal of Palnadu district. The government’s action is seen as an effort to resolve long-standing disputes and ensure proper land usage.