In A major embarrassment to the Chandigarh Administration, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has barred it from acquiring land for any further project without approval. Besides, in an unprecedented move, the MHA has also ordered a special audit into the mega projects, including Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park, Medicity, Amusement-cum-Theme Park and Filmcity.

In a stern communiqué, the MHA has asked the Administration to put on hold further acquisitions under the Land Acquisition Act. It has desired that such initiatives in the future should be vetted by the coordination committee and the Administrator’s Advisory Council having representatives of the Ministry of Urban Development and the MHA. The ministry has said the Administration should implement the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy-2007 and get its rehabilitation policy vetted too from the ministry concerned.

The communication received by the Chandigarh Administration on Tuesday also orders a special audit of the projects that are under process. The audit will be conducted by a team headed by the Chief Controller of Accounts, MHA. It will broadly involve issues pertaining to the compensation to farmers whose land was acquired, complaints about exemptions and violations — where land was sold to private buyers or companies with reference to the prevailing rules — and allotment of land to IT Park projects, besides the status of three projects — Medicity, Film City and Theme-cum-Amusement Park.

The communication said while the projects were already under investigation by the Central Vigilance Commission, the Government of India wanted the special audit to see whether a transparent non-discriminatory process had been followed in the allotment of government properties.

Senior UT officials confirmed having received the communication, but refused to divulge further details. UT Adviser Pradip Mehra, who had raised several objections to the procedures adopted for the allotment of mega projects and had also recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation, too, refused to comment on the new development.

While UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas said he was “not aware of any such communication”, Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar said: “We have received the communication, but I don’t have any comment to make.”

Mega projects: The status report

Project: Filmcity

Land allotted: Around 30 acres

The Rs 191-crore project allotted to Parsvnath Builders is on the verge of being scrapped. While Parsvnath is demanding a refund of its deposit of Rs 47.75 crore, the Administration wants to terminate the contract. The UT Adviser had recommended a CBI probe into the conceptualisation and allotment of the project. All work stands stalled as a CVC probe is on.

Project: IT park
Land allotted: Around 600 acres

While the first two phases of the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park are already functional, a dispute arose over the award of compensation for land in the third phase. The

MHA had sought a report from the UT Administration last month, regarding the policies under which it acquired the land and evaluated the compensation.

Project: Theme Park
Land allotted: 73 acres

This amusement-cum-theme park is stuck too as the developer, Unitech, has not deposited any yearly installment after the first one of Rs 5.5 crore. Allotted in 2006, the first phase of the project was to be completed and made operational within three years. The Administration was yet to hand over the possession of the earmarked land to Unitech when the CVC took up the case for an inquiry.

Project: Medicity
Land allotted: 42 acres

Another multi-crore project, it got mired in controversies after UT Adviser Pradip Mehra raised serious objections to the evaluation done for the land earmarked for acquisition. The Administration now says it has not yet finalised the revenue model. The matter is now with the Central Vigilance Commission.

As the Union Government barred the Chandigarh Administration from acquiring land for any further project without approval, below are some welcome reactions to the decision.

Hemant Goswami, Citizen’s Voice
Our fight against corruption by the Chandigarh Administration and land mafia has produced results. Just reversing the decision of the Administration is, however, not enough. The IAS officers and political appointees who have been instrumental in corrupt and illegal activities must be made accountable and sent to prison. An independent and unbiased investigation can take place only when Governor-Administrator S F Rodrigues and other IAS officers are immediately removed from their official position.

Angrez Singh, chairman, Pind Bachao Committee
We welcome the decision by the Central Government. It would provide the much needed relief to the farmers. The Administration had been paying the landowners a pittance for the land that was being acquired. This was being sold-off at high prices to the companies. The Administration was functioning like a property dealer. The decision would put a stop to this practice.

H S Mamik, eminent educationist
I am glad that the Central government has finally taken note of what is happening in the city. Land was being acquired in a hasty manner. We hope that the land that was acquired in the past few months is returned. While land had been acquired for the IT Park, not many companies set up offices. The decision to acquire this land should be reconsidered.

Brig K S Kahlon (Retd), vice-president, Manimajra Farmers’ Association
It is a step in the positive direction. The Administration had been acquiring land in a ruthless manner. Decisions were being taken without visualising the long-term affects. Thoughtless planning was being done. We hope new directions are applicable with immediate affect. The local representative should be part of the committee to decide about land acquisition. The National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy should also be implemented.