Nawab Iqbal-ud-Dowla's heirs demand protection to land

Hyderabad, May 3 (UNI) The legal heirs of Nawab Iqbal-Ud-Dowla today urged the Andhra Pradesh Government to honour the Union Government's assurance to the then Hyderabad Nizam to implement his ''firman'' regarding lands worth more than Rs 1500 crore granted to the Nawab.

Expressing concern over reports that the State Government was contemplating alienation of their prime land in Sikandarguda and allot the same to corporates, the heirs told mediapersons here that as per the Constitution, the Government was bound to honour their rights over the property given under the ''firman'' to the Nawab.

Nawab Sir Viqar-ul-Umra, also known as Ameer-e-Paigah, died in 1902, leaving vast tracts of land spread across 400 villages in the princely state of Hyderabad.

Presently, the land at Sikandarguda under the supervision of the Court of Wards as per the schedule of Gazette notification 4488 dated August 4, 1950, was locked in litigation, following a petition filed by Nawab Basheer Yar Jung, one of the wards, in 1965.

Taking advantage of the court case, the said land had been encroached by influential people in connivance with revenue officials, the heirs claimed and wanted the Government to protect the entire paigah property by fencing and erecting sign boards.

Abdul Karim, legal advisor to the heirs, said the Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy should ensure that steps were taken to protect and release the entire property in favour of the 129 legal heirs to avoid further mulitiple litigation.

Mr Karim also demanded the withdrawal of GO 1161, which was allegedly in contravention of Court of Wards Act.

They also wanted the Government to remove encroachments from the Nawab's land, measuring 7.14 acres in Asifnagar, in keeping with the directions of the Chief Commissioner for Land Administration.

The Nawab's land has been under the superintendence of Court of Wards since 1950, through a gazette notification after jagirs were abolished in 1949, they added.

UNI