Aurangabad, Dec 22:
The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has geared up to represent the issue of residents staying in Gunthewari Areas in the city. The civic body had sent a letter requesting the office of the district collector, tehsildar and land record to issue property registration (PR) cards to residents of Gunthewari Areas, before lockdown in the city. The AMC is waiting for the due reply.
Around 150 areas are falling under the Gunthewari Act, and the strength of properties is more than 1 lakh in these areas. In the past, the farm-owners and land mafia sold out the plots without registering them or obtaining non-agriculture (NA) certification. They marked the plots of 20 x 30 feet size and sold them out. Majority of the properties are sold on just bond paper. These plots are termed as illegal. As a result, the residents staying in these localities deprive PR cards to prove their ownership and avail facilities from the civic body.
At the outset of this year, few political leaders of AMC took up the matter. In response to which, the state''s additional secretary issued a letter to AMC (on February 20, 2020) stating to start the procedure. Accordingly, the AMC had sent letters to the above offices. According to sources, the AMC, through letters, had requested to direct the offices concerned to issue PR cards to people staying in localities regularised by the AMC under Gunthewari Act. The civic administration had also given certified maps and receipt (Dakhla) to these property-owners. Hence the PR cards should be issued to them. However, the offices concerned are yet to start acting on the request.
The AMC administrator Astik Kumar Pandey said, " The AMC will settle the issue of PR Cards to residents of Gunthewari Areas. We are striving to resolve the matter, and very soon, it will be settled."