Aurangabad, July 24:
As land prices have skyrocketed, land mafias have marched towards hills surrounding the city. Mountains in and around the city are being dug up for illegal plotting in the past few years. There is a high possibility that a similar incident to Mahad's Taliye village might happen in Aurangabad.
Many settlements have been formed at the foot of the hills in Padegaon-Mitmita, Aurangabad Caves, Hanuman Tekdi, Ganesh Tekdi, Maqbara area, Satara, Sai Tekdi, Gogababa hill and Sawangi hill. In the last 10 to 15 years, land mafias have been digging up the mountains surrounding the city with JCBs. The plots are being sold to citizens at low rates. Such colonies have no basic facilities. The narrow roads make it impossible for the emergency vehicles to reach the spot. The citizens are also unaware about the threat of landslides. If a landslide occurs during the monsoons, the death toll in Aurangabad could be many times higher than in Taliye village. Some of the settlements formed at the foot of the hills are within the municipal limits, while some are outside the municipal limits.
Land mafias unafraid of authorities
The land mafias are neither afraid of the government officials nor of the police. The base of the mountain is flattened for illegal plots. Forged documents of ownership are formed and a bogus 7/12 extract is made. The general power of attorney is registered on a third person's name and the plot is sold to citizens. The officials concerned also register the property. The electricity company then provides electricity supply to such houses.
Thousands of citizens at risk
The number of citizens living in the settlements formed at the foot of the hills is about 35,000 to 40,000. The municipal administration and the district administration are not ready to take concrete steps in this regard. Therefore, the courage of the land mafia is increasing day by day.
Decision after survey
A survey will be undertaken to ascertain the number of such settlements inside the municipal limits. The district administration will be informed about the colonies outside the municipal limits. Landslides often occur in Raigad and Uttarakhand. The formation of mountains is quite strong in Marathwada. Therefore, such incidents are less likely to happen. As a precautionary measure, appropriate steps will be taken by the administration, said city engineer Sakharam Panjhade.