Chaos reigns at Rotary Hall

–    MLA, Sub-Collector spar over closure notice to Rotary Club
–    Revenue officials issue two notices to the club, stating that they have encroached government land and have to pay cess
–    MLA Dr Akula Satyanarayana says the club has been paying taxes to municipality

Rajamahendravaram: Tension prevailed at Anam Rotary hall at ‘Y’ junction in city on Saturday, when the revenue and police officials tried to seal Anam Rotary Hall, as the club was accused of encroaching government land. Lease holders of the facility protested the action and the situation become even more chaotic, when city MLA Dr Akula Satyanarayana intervened.

Earlier in the morning, tahsildar Posaiah along with his staff and police attempted to seal the hall amidst protest from the office bearers of the club. The secretary of the Club Pattapagalu Venkat Rao defied the action and informed the City MLA Dr. Akula Satyanarayana about the situation and sought his help.

The MLA rushed to the spot and demanded the tahsildar to show the documents to seize the building. Posaiah furnished two notices issued to Venkat Rao under AP Encroachment Act section 6 and 7 for defaulting cess to the revenue land. He explained that the Anam Rotary Hall land belongs to Government Poramboku (GP) and the leaseholders have to pay cess to Revenue department from the time of construction of the hall that is from 1957.

Following this, Dr Akula called Sub-Collector Vijaya Krishnan told her that though the land was GP, the present leaseholders were paying taxes to municipality from 1957 and they did not know it was revenue land. 

However, the sub-collector made it clear that despite two notices, Venkat Rao did not respond and so that she had to take action immediately. Both MLA and Sub-Collector engaged in a verbal duel over phone.

Later, the MLA told the media persons that the Sub-Collector allegedly threatened to book FIR against him. He said that he would stage sit-in protest until the issue was settled and said that they should be allowed to pay entire cess that they owe.