Encroachment of missionary land: Panel to submit report soon

Hyderabad, Apr 6 (UNI) Concerned over alleged encroachment and ''illegal'' sale of property belonging to Christian missionaries in Andhra Pradesh, the House Committee constituted to go into the issue today decided to submit its interim report to the Assembly shortly to enable it to enact a law to curb such activity.

The Committee headed by Congress MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy decided to recommend enactment of a stringent piece of legislation to stop indiscriminate sale of large tracts of land belonging to the missionaries.

''Even Charminar can be put up for sale and registered by anyone if there is a gullible buyer and there is no law to stop the illegal sale,'' Land Aquisition Chief Commissioner Bale Rao informed the MLAs.

The High Court had struck down an administrative measure making compulsory obtaining of No Objection Certificate (NOC) from revenue authorities for construction of building on such property, he said, Under the Registration Act, the government had no power to stop registeration of such property. It was for the missionaries concerned to protect their property and fight in a court of law when it was encroached upon.

Cutting across partylines, Committee Members including nominated Member Christiana Lazeres and CPI(M) member M A Gafoor lamented that there was no protection to property of missionaries as also that of the Wakf Board and the Hindu Religious and Endowment Department.

UNI SM MIR HT1914