Alleging a major scam at Pantnagar in Udham Singh Nagar, amounting to more than Rs 280 crore, members of the Jan Sangharsh Morcha (JSM) met the chief secretary S Ramaswamy and demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged scam.
The JSM chief Raghunath Singh Negi alleged that in 2006, the administration had allotted about 975 acre land at Pantnagar to a major automobile manufacturer at Rs 125 per square metre whereas the value of the said land was about Rs 700 per square metre. Special rebate was provided to the automobile company. He averred, “On March 8, 2006 the company had submitted a letter to SIIDCUl stating its requirement for 45 lakh square metres land. The company had also expressed its wish that its ancillaries-vendors also be allotted land with the company’s agreement. The company had also sought formal confirmation on this understanding but the administration had not granted any permission. Surprisingly, officials of the administration-SIIDCUl along with the company officials, got 14,03,208 square metres land allotted to the ancillaries at Rs 125 per square metre when the price was Rs 700 per square metre. Similarly, when 96498 square metres land was allotted between September 18, 2006 and September 12, 2007 when the rate of the land was Rs 1,500 per square metre. During 2007 to 2008, about 62,166 square metres land was allotted when the rate of the land was Rs 2,500 per square metre. During 2008 till the present about 4,05,918 square metres land was allotted when the rate of the land was Rs 4501.25 per square metre.”
The JSM chief went on to allege that all those involved had made crores in black money through the scam orchestrated in these land allotments. “About Rs 280 crore loss caused to the government through this scam should be recovered from officials of SIIDCUl and the automobile company who were involved in the irregularity,” added Negi.