source: The Hindu, July 03, 2005

Staff Reporter

RAJAHMUNDRY: In a record time, the Endowments Department has auctioned 3,048 acres of temple land in the district, through which it netted a revenue of Rs. 1.10 crores.

The department is likely to get more revenue by auctioning the remaining 2,000 acres, the process of which is in progress.

The Assistant Commissioner of Endowments, B. Venkataswamy, said on Friday that there was 18, 300 acres of endowments land in the district, out of which 11,914 was wetland.

Repeated negotiations with farmers by the department officials and follow-up action to the eviction notices had resulted in enhancement of lease and also good result in public auctions.

He, however, said the department was facing problem in convincing some tenants of Laxinarasimhaswamy Temple in Antarvedi.

The Assistant Commissioner wrote to higher authorities to settle the tangle.