lease cancellation notice on 200 promoters
The State Government has issued show cause notices to promoters of as many as 250 industrial units in the Chandaka and Mancheswar industrial estates on the charge of either non-utilisation land allotted to them or its utilisation for non-industrial purposes.
They have been told to comply with as to why their lands allotted for industrial purposes would not be cancelled for violation of rules, Industrial Infrastructural Development Corporation (IDCO) CMD Vishal Dev said.
Besides, Chandaka and Mancheswar areas, IDCO has started a survey on the land status allotted in Khurda, Jagatpur and other industrial estates. legal action would be initiated in case of those found guilty of misusing the land, Dev said.
The IDCO CMD, who is also the Secretary of the Industries Department, told newsmen that following allegations of misutilisation of industrial land in the industrial estates, the IDCO had conducted a survey in 2006 and found large-scale irregularities in the utilisation of the land by the allottees.
Dev informed that on the basis of violating rules, the IDCO has already issued notices for cancellation of the land leases in case of around 200 of the 250 cases against whom show cause notices were issued. The IDCO is in the process to cancel the leases against rest of the persons and units for using the land for non- industrial purposes, Dev said.
After the allegation of encroachment of Government land, land misuse, availing of more than one plot and house under discretionary quota and use of land for other than industrial purposes which caused much embarrassment for the Government, the action was taken by the IDCO.
The CAG also had indicted the State Government for the misuse of land allotted for industrial purposes.
Dev said that though the IDCO had issued notices for cancellation on the count of misuse of industrial lands, cases have been filed by the promoters in various courts relating to the allotment. The Government would abide by the orders of the court, he said. He informed that the State Government also had revised the allotment rules in case of industrial lands.
As per the revised rules, the promoters have to set up their units within two years of the lease deeds, failing which lease would be cancelled. Earlier, the promoters were given three years time frame for setting up industries.
As per a survey, of the 521 cases of allotment of land in Chandaka and Mancheswar industrial estates, while hostels were constructed in 20 cases, godowns on 188 plots, hotels were set up in two lands illegally. Besides, industrial units were not constructed on 144 plots of land allotted for industrial purposes. However, Dev indicated that the Government may not cancel the land of those who set up manufacturing units and created job opportunity even if the units do not come under industry brand.