Allotment of land to officers
SHILLONG: The Division Bench of the High Court of Meghalaya has dismissed a PIL filed by a pressure group against the allotment of land at New Shillong Township to the Civil Service Officers Housing Co-operative Society at Rs 1 per square feet.
The Division Bench, comprising of Justice SR Sen and Justice T Nandakumar Sing, on Wednesday, said that the allotment of land to the Civil Service Officers Housing Co-operative Society was as per the policy decision of the Government for public welfare which comes within the realm of public purpose and added, that it would directly or indirectly improve the living standards and means of livelihood of not only the members of the society but also the public particularly, the residents of New Shillong Township and its neighbouring areas.
The Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) President Agnes Kharshiing who filed the PIL had earlier challenged the decision of the Government to allot land to the society by saying that undue benefits were given to the officers.
According to the petitioner, the Civil Service Officers Housing Co-operative Society should have been charged the original cost of the land, amounting to Rs.58,81,918 instead of one time premium of Rs.19,60,636 which in effect works out to Rs.1 per square feet.
“Considering the tremendous increase in land prices in Shillong and surrounding areas, over the years, particularly, in the New Shillong Township area and its vicinity, the Co-operative Society should have been charged an additional premium in line with the decision of the Land Allotment Committee,” the PIL of the petitioner had said, adding that the failure of the Urban Affairs Department to implement the Land Allotment Committee’s decision resulted in land being allotted to the Society at a very cheap rate resulting in loss of Rs.39,21,28 to the public exchequer.
The first hearing of the PIL was held on December 17, 2012.
The matter came to light after the CAG report for the year ended March 31, 2011, had pointed out irregularities in the allotment of land at Mawdiangdiang to the civil servants.
According to the CAG report, “Unauthorized allotment of land to the Civil Service Officers Housing Co-operative Society and the incorrect fixation of premium at a lower rate resulted in undue financial benefit of Rs 78.42 lakh to the Society, besides allotment of land in excess of the prescribed limit”.