In a damage control move, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday constituted a three-member Taskforce under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Revenue Department Taradatt to go into the scam in the Government land and housing deals and recommend action against those involved in the criminal offence.
As per a notification issued by the General Administration Department, the other members of the Taskforce are the Special Secretary, GA and Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department.
The Chief Minister’s belated action came in the wake of the allegations against BJD Rajya Sabha member and former Minister Kalataru Das availing multiple plots and houses in the Bhubaneswar Master Plan area violating law, particularly misusing the discretionary quota and the construction of a building in violation of the BDA building plan by former real estate company director and present Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sanjay Dasburma. The move also followed the demand of CBI probe into the issues by BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra.
However, doubts are raised on the impartiality of the Taskforce’s probe as all the three departments were involved in the allotment process.
The Opposition parties have demanded an impartial inquiry by referring the cases to the CBI as politicians of the ruling party and other influential persons including bureaucrats were involved in the offence.
Meanwhile, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Friday began a probe into all the cases where more than one plot/flat has been allotted to members of a single family under the ‘discretionary quota’.
The BDA has taken note of all the 14 allegations in the matter, which were pointed out in the CAG report. Sources said the BDA has already cancelled allotments made to two persons and issued show-cause notices to the rest 12.
The BDA cancelled the allotment of a plot (K9A-352) in the Kalinga Nagar Housing Scheme made in favour of a journalist, who has been allotted two plots, one in his name and the other in his wife’s name, under the discretionary quota.
The BDA also cancelled a plot in Prachi Enclave (Plot No 133) allotted to former BJD Balipatana MlA Raghav Sethi, who was allotted two plots, one in his name and another in his wife’s name, under the discretionary quota.
“Action will be taken against the rest 12 persons. They have already been served show-cause notices for acquiring more than one plot/house under the discretionary quota,” BDA Vice-Chairman Dr Krishan Kumar said.
All such allotments would be reviewed at the board meeting to be held towards the end of this month and decision would be taken on the next course of action, he added.