Officials selling govt land at throwaway prices, alleges BJP

The BJP in Uttarakhand today accused senior officials of selling precious government land meant for industrial and educational purposes at throwaway prices to real estate firms. Levellling the allegation in a statement here, state BJP general secretary Suresh Joshi asked Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to order a probe into the matter and act against erring officials. "The Chief Minister should order a probe into disposal of such precious land by some responsible government officials to real estate companies at throwaway prices. "The officials found involved in the process should be penalised by recovering from them the loss caused to the state in terms of revenue through such deals," Joshi said. He alleged the land in parts of Rishikesh meant for rehabilitating people displaced by Tehri Dam was sold to real estate companies at throwaway prices. Land belonging to SIDCUL (State Industrial Development Corporation) was also disposed of in a similar way recently, he alleged. The BJP leader also accused state government officials of striking deals with building firms in Delhi by converting industrial plots into residential ones, terming it as a blow to the industrial development in the state.