HC orders resurvey of Gangavaram port land

HYDERABAD: The High Court directed the state government on Saturday to conduct a re-survey of the land allotted to the Gangavaram port in Visakhapatnam.Dealing with a petition filed by the management of the Gangavaram port challenging an order of the government for re-conveying 28.56 acres of land at Pedagantyada village in Visakhapatnam to the original owners at the cost price by withdrawing the extent from land acquisition process, justice CV Nagarjuna Reddy directed the government to submit a report within 3 months.The land (28.56 acres) had initially been acquired for the Visakhapatnam steel plant (VSP) but was allotted later to the Gangavaram port. However, the government has decided to de-notify the land as VSP said the land was not required by it as it was in a low-lying area and was inundated whenever it rained.On the other hand, revenue authorities are of the view that the said lands, which were acquired in 1980 had not been put to use. The port management contended that the land was allotted to them and revenue authorities, ignoring that fact, decided to re-convey the land to original landowners.