Karnataka   

‘Sly note’: NICE gains land worth Rs. 30,000 crore

Bangalore: The Karnataka Government on Friday disclosed to the Karnataka High Court that manipulation by way of a “note”, reportedly by the then Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary, had resulted in unreasonable concessions to the company implementing the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project. However, no date has been mentioned in the note.

The present PWD Secretary, T. Sukumar, in an affidavit before the court, stated that the then PWD Secretary seems to have introduced a note in the government files stating that the amount of land, which would revert to the Government, was only 11,966 acres, instead of 14,255.7 acres.

However, the name of the then PWD Secretary has not been mentioned in the affidavit.

The affidavit, filed in connection with a contempt of court case, stated that the note enabled Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Ltd. (NICE), which is implementing the project, to get ownership of an additional 2,289.7 acres.

The present market value of the 2,289.7 acres is about Rs. 30,000 crore, according to the affidavit. Mr. Sukumar stated, “Manipulation in the records by means of introduction of the note has resulted in unreasonable concessions being made available to NICE and at the cost of the Government…. This note had vitiated all further actions taken by the Government and its functionaries, and they relied upon this note for their further actions.”

“Had the note not been there and had these functionaries been notified or informed about the contents of the Framework Agreement and land acquisition agreement signed in October 1998, the government functionaries would not have permitted the subsequent agreements which resulted in unreasonable concessions to the company,” Mr. Sukumar stated.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

‘Sly note’: NICE gains land worth Rs. 30,000 crore
Congress, JD(S) share power in Birur TMC
Socialism only answer to country’s problems: MP
Convention
Goa to have 40 knowledge centres
Kadambotsav from today
Judicial custody for terror suspects
Megalithic monuments found in Kodagu village
Voters’ list
Curb animal sacrifice: court
I didn’t insult Kannadigas, says Lalu
Move to ease water scarcity
Complete projects before March-end, officials told
President and vice-president of Chamarajanagar CMC elected
Transfer unjustified, says Mahishi
BSNL mela
BMTC drive
‘Secrecy, speed important in tackling kidnap cases’

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu