Reacting to the Opposition’s allegation about the State Government fleecing around Rs1,000 crore by allotting two pieces of land in SIIDCUl Haridwar and Pantnagar, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said that if leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt can sell the land for Rs400 crore, then the State would cancel the allotment with immediate effect. “Although they are claiming the State has fleeced Rs1,000 crore by selling these lands, I’ll allot the land against Rs400 crore only,” he said. Meanwhile, Bhatt said that this was not his cup of tea because it is State’s responsibility to sell the land at an appropriate price.
Political analysts believe that result may be anything but first time in the last one year, Congress Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna is getting full support of party and his Cabinet Ministers as well. It means the State political equation is changing at a fast pace and political turmoil may occur in coming days.
State PCC President and Revenue Minister Yashpal Arya has categorically said that if BJP believes that the Congress Government has done anything wrong, it should approach the court instead of creating nuisance in the House. He also said that SIIDCUl had given advertisement of the land on September 29, 2012. As per the advertisement, any bidder can procure application from SIIDCUl office or download from their website by October 19, 2012. later pre-bid meeting was conducted by SIIDCUl on October 22. last date of bidding was October 30. Same day SIIDCUl management committee had scrutinised the bid technically on October 31, in which three companies SUPERTECH, Noida; SGN Universal construction Pvt ltd and Antariksh Engineer construction Corporation, Delhi had participated in the bidding.
Thereafter, SIIDCUl awarded the tender to the Antariksh engineer construction in Haridwar and Supertech in Pantnagar against the payment of Rs2.22 crore per acre and Rs2.67 crore per acre respectively. Meanwhile, they have not sold even a single piece of land to anyone so far because they will have to seek prior permission from SIIDCUl before selling to anyone. Now the question being asked is why SIIDCUl had quoted price of the land lesser than the market. If we believe in the Opposition, then Kichha MlA Rajesh Shukla alleged in Pantnagar the land is being sold @ Rs32000-40000 per square metre, but SIIDCUl sold the land @ 5,680 per square metre against the quoted price of Rs5,500 per square metre.
A day before Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat, who was being considered as political opponent of Bahuguna since his inception as chief minister of Uttarakhand, came to his rescue and categorically said that the lands were allotted to Supertech and Antariksh in Pantnagar and Haridwar respectively by the SIIDCUl; so how can anyone make allegation against the State Government.