Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 21: As the prime land leased out to Jammu and Kashmir Government at Kolkata is all set to get slipped out of its hands, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has written to his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Baneerjee with the request to further extend the lease period so that Government could get another opportunity to complete the proposed project.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that the issue of prime land leased out to Jammu and Kashmir Government in Salt Lake locality of Kolkata for establishment of cold storage and Kissan Bhawan was recently taken up with the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah by the Minister for Horticulture, Raman Bhalla.
Keeping in view the concern expressed by the Horticulture Minister, Omar Abdullah wrote a letter to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee seeking her intervention to extend the lease period of 6.5 kanal of land leased out to J&K Government way back in 1988, sources said.
“The land was allotted on lease to J&K Government for construction of multi-commodity cold stores and Kissan Ghar but these could not be constructed during the lease period due to turmoil in J&K State. The lease is now expiring by ending April 2013”, the letter written by Omar Abdullah reads.
“In the interim period, our Government invited offers for appointment of consultants/transaction advisors wherein two firms—M/s Abacus Legal Group, New Delhi and M/s RITES Limited participated. The State Level Rate Contract Committee opened their offers on April 2, 2012 but rejected the offer of M/s Abacus Legal Group being merely a legal firm whereas the offer of M/s RITES Ltd was rejected due to being the single bidder at a very high cost”, the letter further reads.
“Now, the Department of Agriculture is taking immediate further steps for construction of pre-fabricated accommodation on war footing basis within next few months over the plots of land at a cost of Rs 50 lakh, which has been permitted”, Mr Omar has mentioned in the communication, adding “even expression of interest for preparation of detailed project reports through consultants for construction of Kissan Ghar and multi-commodity store is also being contemplated very soon”.
Under these circumstances, the Chief Minister has sought personal intervention of West Bengal counterpart to extend the lease period for one more year beyond May 2013.
In response to a question, sources said, “the West Bengal Government is likely to give last opportunity to the J&K Government to make use of the land as Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs of West Bengal Government has already recommended extension in the lease period in response to a request already made at the level of J&K Government officers”. However, final decision has to be taken in consultation with Mamata Banerjee.
Expressing surprise over the failure of the State Government to make use of the prime land, sources said, “there cannot be any justification behind not coming up with the proposed infrastructure on the land at Salt Lake city during the past several years”, adding “the present as well as previous State Governments should have made use of the land instead of knocking the doors of the West Bengal Government for one after another extension in the lease period”.
The WB Government vide Order NO: 262-SL/MO/AL-MD/34-84/87, dated 16-11-1988, allotted, on lease, two plots, measuring 4 kanal and 2.5 kanal of land to the State Government for establishment of cold storage and construction of Kissan Bhawan respectively in the Salt Lake locality of Kolkata. The possession of the two plots of land was taken over by the State Government on February 22, 2005 and January 19, 2006.
However, the right of possession of the plots was forfeited in February 2008 and January 2009, respectively, as the necessary process of establishment of the facilities had not commenced by then.
In order to secure the possession rights again the Minister-in-charge of Horticulture Department, during his visit to Kolkata, requested the Minister for Agriculture Marketing and Disaster Management and the Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, West Bengal Government, for suitable extension in the duration of possession. In response, the West Bengal Government conceded the State Government’s request by renewing the rights of possession over the two plots for one year.
The State Government managed to secure another extension in possession right, albeit for three months. But before the work could be started on the sites, the timeline expired yet again. The West Bengal Government agreed to allow another extension in the timeline till April 2012 and then till April 30, 2013.
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