The lokayukta started probing into alleged irregularities made in the allotment of plots in Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA) even as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GIDA, Data Ram Singh denied of any irregularities.
He was reportedly summoned in this connection and sources confirmed that the rip off is akin to the one reported in Gautam Budh Nagar (NOIDA) during Yadav Singh’s tenure.
lokayukta Justice (retd) NK Mehrotra, with whom a complaint was lodged, said that properties were allotted without conforming to norms and were sold for peanuts which led him to proceed with the probe.
As per reports, a Gorakhpur resident filed a complaint with the lokayukta alleging large scale irregularities in allotment of plots at GIDA. He claimed that the GIDA published advertisement for allotment of 23 plots in Industrial Area. Instead of allotting the 23 properties, GIDA officials in cohorts with some top government officials sold out 83 plots. Even these were sold for peanuts at Rs 2550 per square metre.
What is more, earlier the GIDA sold a plot for Transport Terminal at Rs 18000 per square metre some years back. Now owing to pressure from the top, the same plot was resold at the beginning of the year for a paltry Rs 7000 per square metre thereby inflicting a loss of Rs 9 crore to the GIDA. The excuse given is that the plot for Transport Terminal would be relocated.
Sources said that if the entire rip off was taken into account then the scam would run into several hundred crores of rupees.