Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 17: After the intervention of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, the Revenue Ministry today withdrew the shady land transfer order of over 312 kanals of State land to a private party in Jammu.
The Commissioner Secretary Revenue Department, Vinod Koul, today issued (G No. Rev/S/167/2014 dated 17-07-2014 and Endorsement No. Rev/s/106/2014) an order keeping in abeyance the shady land deal under which State land measuring 312 kanals and 5 marlas situated in village Bain Bajal, Tehsil and district Jammu was transferred on lease for a period of 40 years in favour of the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Corporation Limited that has dubious credentials.
The order reads: “In light of the instructions received from Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah through Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khanday, dated 14-07-2017, the order issued vide order No. Rev/S/142 of 2014 dated 19-06-2014 is hereby kept in abeyance till further orders.”
The Revenue Ministry had issued an order of transfer of land last month on the recommendations of Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, A K Sahu, without sending the proposal to the Cabinet.
The Deputy Commissioner Jammu without seeking clearance of the Jammu Development Authority, Pollution Control Board, Forest Department and Jammu Municipality (for violations of Master Plan) had recommended the transfer of land.
In his letter (No. DCJ/SQ/CHCL/Bain Bajal/2014-15/558 dated 29-05-2014), Sahu while recommending the land transfer says: “The requirement of the Corporation is apparently genuine and case has therefore been processed for allotment of this 312 kanals and 4 marlas of vacant State land…”
The Deputy Commissioner who as per law is not competent authority to fix the rate of the land had fixed the rate per kanal at Rs 4 lakh as per stamp duty when the rate per kanal is over Rs 40 lakh in Bain Bajal. The letter reads: “…it is recommended to transfer the identified State land to the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Corporation Ltd on payment of land value. In view of the location Rs 4 lakh per kanal would be reasonable rate to be adopted for assessing the value of the land.”
As per the law, the Additional Commissioner Nazool with the consent from Finance Department can fix the premium but the DC had illegally fixed it on his own without taking the AC and Finance Department on board.
However, after the expose of the shady land deal, DC refused to execute the land transfer order saying that it has no Cabinet sanction and the Revenue Department order is not in conformity with law.
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