Major anomalies are being orchestrated in the acquisition and allotment of land in the State. According to RTI lok Seva, a voluntary organisation, when the land acquisition bill was a major national issue, RTI act info and audit report of the State shows blatant irregularities and injustice to farmers and land owners in Uttarakhand.
Addressing the media, the organisation’s head Manoj Dhyani said, “Studying the State audit of land acquisition and allotment completed on March 31, 2011 we found enough blatant anomalies to shame any scrupulous Government. In districts selected for audit check during 2006-11 out of 83 cases only 47 cases had been resolved till September 2011”.
Two NGOs SOS Childrens Village and Matri Anchal Sanskar Kendra were allotted 1.70 and 0.410 hectare land respectively in 2006 and 2008. However instead of Rs12.11 lakh and Rs2.21 crore, the lands were sold for Rsone and Rs33.70 lakh. In Haridwar district, based on a proposal by Haridwar Development Authority, 15.256 hectare land was acquired for constructing Transport Nagar in 2004.
However, even seven years after the acquisition 4.73 hectare land had not been used. Farmers in Dehradun complain that about 13 hectare land was acquired for construction of the ISBT in Dehradun in 2001 out of which the ISBT and a mall have been constructed on 4.25 hectare area while a residential project was constructed on the remaining 9.199 hectare land whereas the entire land area had been acquired for construction of the ISBT.
“Studying the audit report and information received under RTI, we have found that without any examination, the authorities changed the category of submerged land to residential land allotting such plots to the police in Harrawala, Air Force Naval Board in East Hope Town-Jhajra and Homeguard directorate in Nanurkheda. Farmers are being ruined by anomalies in land acquisition. Since the Government is expected to acquire lands in Karnprayag and Ranikhet in the name of making Gairsain the State capital, we will raise the plight of farmers. We will approach the human rights commission against injustice to farmers and have also sought time from the Governor to inform him about this issue. We will not hesitate to file a PIl in the HC on this issue if needed,” he added.