Chandigarh, September 28
Close on the heels of the controversial HUDA auctions at Gurgaon, which had to be cancelled on the intervention of the Governor, another alleged land scandal has hit the Chautala Government.
The alleged scam concerns the grant of 19.5 acre of panchayat land in Gurgaon district to a Delhi-based big builder, DLF Universal Limited, for a meagre sum of Rs 4 crore, for developing a cyber city.
The scam was exposed today by the Youth Congress president, Mr Randeep Surjewala, and the Congress MLA, Mr Karan Singh Dalal. The two leaders submitted separate memorandums to the Haryana Governor, Dr A.R. Kidwai, urging him to exercise his powers under Article 167(b) of the Constitution to summon the record.
In his detailed memorandum Mr Surjewala incorporated copies of notings of various officers opposing the grant of land to DLF. He said it was a fit case, which clearly established the connivance of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and his Principal Secretary, Mr B.D. Dhalia, in frittering away the state resources for “pecuniary gains”. He said while the Information Technology
Department (ITD) repeatedly opposed the transfer of land to DLF, Mr Dhalia repeatedly overruled it on behalf of the Chief Minister.
Elaborating the scam, Mr Surjewala said the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) granted a licence to DLF in 2002 for setting up a cyber city on 86 acres which was self-acquired by the company. He said the licence was granted without floating national or global tender as was done by the states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
A few months later the DLF approached the government for the acquisition of 19.5 acre belonging to Nathupur village panchayat in Gurgaon district. The company claimed that the land was required to ensure “contiguity” and “in order to fill up infrastructural gaps for the cyber city”. The TCPD recommended the DLF case to the state Cabinet, which approved the acquisition and grant of land on August 8, 2002. The TCPD asked the ITD to go ahead with the acquisition. Requisite notifications were issued, which nowhere stated that the land was being acquired for a private company. Rather the notification said the land was being acquired for “public purposes” and at on government exchequer. It was the DLF, which paid Rs 4 crore as compensation for the land. The ITD was asked to hand over the land to the DLF.
On May 20 last the ITD opposed the transfer of land to DLF on the plea that the compensation was very low. It wanted that the land should be given to the DLF on a leasehold basis to ensure the company’s commitment towards the conditions imposed by the government. The ITD also wanted that the company should specify the period of completion of the project, size of investment and extent of employment. It also wanted a condition to be imposed that preference would be given in employment to Haryana domiciled persons.
Other conditions suggested by the department included the exclusivity of land for cyber city alone, no further alienation of land by DLF and no deviation from the purpose for which the land was being given.
Mr Surjewala said the CMO returned the file, asking the ITD to put it up again. However, the ITD again reiterated its stand, adding that the cyber city could be a joint venture between the government and the DLF on the pattern of that in Chandigarh. The CMO again returned the file. The advice of the TCPD was also sought, which never came. Rather the ITD was told to transfer the land as was clear, Mr Surjewala said, from a note written by Dr Harbakhsh Singh, Commissioner, IT, on September 9 last.
He said the ITD again opposed the transfer of land. He said this land was situated along a road leading from the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway to Sectors 55 and 56 of Gurgaon. He said instead of developing the cyber city, the promoters would have used this land to construct shopping malls.
Mr Surjewala said the Governor should dismiss the Chautala Government after examining the record for violation of the oath of office. He claimed that the government would now try to get the approval of the state Cabinet for transferring the land to the DLF.
