Admn to conduct inquiry into leasing of Govt lands

Puducherry, Apr 30: The territorial administration will conduct an inquiry an initiate action on the leasing of government lands by local bodies wherever there were doubts of irregularities, Chief Minister N Rangasamy told the Legislative Assembly today.

Replying to a calling attention motion by R Siva(DMK) and A Anbazhagan (AIADMK) on the leasing of government lands by local bodies for 99 years, the Chief Minsiter said such lease agreements were made earlier and his government had not done anything.

However, when some voluntary organisations seek lands on lease, the governent was compelled to give it, he said adding that 99 years lease was given ony to one temple.

Mr Rangasamy said action would be taken after getting the verdict of Madras High Court in a case pertaining to Chamber of Commerce land.

Stating that patta of the park guest house land owned by the Aurobindo ashram was in the name of a private party and not owned by the government, he said the administration had allotted the land to the ashram on the beach after obtaining the permission of Central Government.

An annual rent of Rs 3 lakh was being collected from the petrol bunk in front of the Kamban Kalai Arangam for the land leased out, the Chief Minister said adding that the municiplaiites were auctioning the shops owned by it and 10 per cent enhancement was being effected in the rent every year.

Mr Rangasamy said the local bodies could not lease out any vacant land site owned by them for more than one year without the prior permission of the Local Administration department.

The Puducherry municipality had leased out it's land for the Manakkula Vinayagar temple for 99 years at a rent of Re one per annum and no other 88 years deal was there, he said.

Earlier, tabling the calling attention motion, members Siva and Anbazhagan alleged that lands worth several crores of rupees were leased by municipalities and commune panchayats for several years causing heavy revenue loss to the government.

CPI member R Viswanathan urged the administration to appoint a y Commission by a retired high court judge to inquire into all aspects of the lease deeds, while K Lakshminarayanan (PMC) wanted the government to be transparent on the issue.

UNI