Author: TN Raghunatha
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: March 2, 2011
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/321421/BJP-raps-Chavans-for-'2G-like-scam'.html
In what he alleged as a Rs 50,000 crore scam,
BJP's national secretary Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday accused both current Maharashtra
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and his predecessor Ashok Chavan of "gifting"
away a staggering 2.35 crore sqft of land in various parts of Mumbai to a
"few select builders" in a dubious and non-transparent manner.
Releasing documents relating to what he called
a "2G-like" scam, Somaiya alleged that the Congress-led DF Government
had given the final land allotment directive on November 11, 2010 - "the
day Ashok Chavan continued as the care-taker Chief Minister till 5 pm, while
Prithviraj Chavan took over the reins of the State after 5 pm".
Somaiya announced that his party would move
the Bombay High Court against the DF Government and its beneficiaries in the
alleged scam.
Somaiya charged that the DF Government had
given away "2,35,00,000 sq ft land in Mumbai with the project value of
more than Rs 50,000 crore and a profit of Rs 31,500 crore to few select builders
in a dubious manner". He went on to add that the DF Government had not
floated any tender, nor was there any transparency or due diligence in the
allotment of prime land to six builders.
He also said that they had allotted the land
"arbitrarily" and "illegally" under the Rajiv Gandhi Aawaas
Yojana. "The Maharashtra Government has in the process created "new
zamindars" by making the most of the land meant meant for rehabilitation
of slum dwellers," he said.
"It is surprising that on November 11,
2010, final directives were issued by the Housing Ministry of the Maharashtra
Govt when both Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan happened to be CMs of the
State at different points of times," Somaiya said.
Charging that both Chavans were equally responsible
for the scam, Somiaya said that though the final directives were issued on
November 11, 2010, the letters of intent were issued to a majority of the
companies concerned later.
Somaiya identified the six companies, which
benefitted from the dubious land deals, as - Lashkaria Constructions, Sterling
Buildcon, Aakruti City Ltd (which got an in-principle approval), Lokhandwala
Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Shivalik Ventures (project allotted includes Government
of India/defence land) and Ruchipriya Developers.
According to Somaiya, the saleable component
of the land (admeasuring 2.35 crore sq ft) allotted to six projects is 446
lakh sq ft. The total value of the allotted land is Rs 6,652 crore, while
the market value of the saleable property is Rs 41,840 crore, while the total
profit to the builders has been of Rs 31,500 crore.
The first five plots of land that came to
be allotted to six developers were at Malad, Chembur, Sion, Worli and Khar
respectively. Given the current real estate prices in all these areas, the
plots of land allotted to the six companies were prime properties, the BJP
leader said.
