Kerala   

Opposition stages walkout over HMT land deal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The curtains came down on the budget session of the Kerala Assembly with uproarious scenes and an Opposition walkout over the HMT land deal.

The Opposition trooped out of the House during zero hour accusing the government of having abetted Blue Star Realtors, the Mumbai-based firm which had purchased 70 acres of land from HMT Limited at Kalamassery in Kochi for setting up a ‘Cyber City’, to violate provisions of the Kerala Land Reforms Act and keep 55 acres of excess land in their possession illegally.

Raising the issue through a submission, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy said though HMT Limited had been exempted from Section 81 (1) (a) of the Land Reforms Act through an order issued in 2000, there was no such concession given to the Mumbai-based firm and, therefore, its continued possession of 55 acres of land, after deducting the 15 acres that it could keep in its possession under the Act, was illegal.

The committee of officials, chaired by the Chief Secretary, had recommended resumption of the land, but the government had done nothing about it, he alleged.

Mr. Chandy said he had written on March 4 to the Chief Minister and sent copies of the letter to the Revenue and Law Ministers seeking action in the matter, but had not received even a reply to his letter.

The biggest real estate firm in the country was challenging the law of the land, he said.

Replying to the submission, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said the government would see if there was any violation of the Land Reforms Act once the Kerala High Court, which was hearing a related case, gave its verdict.

Under the Act, both the buyer and seller of large tracts of land should file affidavits before the local Land Board stating whether they were in possession of excess land.

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