Karnataka moves SC, seeks probe into extra saleable land

New Delhi, May 17 (UNI) Karnataka government has filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking permission to conduct a preliminary fact finding enquiry to ascertain how 2,289 acres of extra saleable land having a market value of Rs 30,000 crores was made available to the project company for Mysore infrastructure corridor project.

The state government has sought modification of the Apex Court order dated July 21, 2006 for conducting an enquiry to fix responsiblity on state government officials who colluded with Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises(NICE).

The H D Kumaraswamy government in the state has been trying to oust NICE from the project and had also set up a commission of enquiry headed by former Delhi High Court chief justice B C Patel but the enquiry was stalled under the Supreme Court order.

The state government is also seeking permission to let B C Patel commission of enquiry to proceed.

The state government in its application has alleged that some senior officers colluded with the company and deliberately suppressed the material facts from the apex court and even the complete technical report of the project was not placed before it.

NICE has to develop five townships in close vicinity of the express highway to decongest the same.

Out of the total of 6,999 acres of land earmarked, 4,528 acres was meant for the expressway of 111 km including interchanches, toll plazas etc, 2,193 acres for the peripheral roads of 41 km and 278 acres for the link road of 9.8 km.

Trouble started after the change of government in the state.

Former Prime Minister and father of the present Chief Minister Mr H D Deve Gowda has publicly criticised the company for indulging in real estate business by acquiring land in excess of the genuine requirement.

The application is likely to come up for hearing during vacations. Earlier the Supreme Court has imposed a cost of Rs five lakh on the State government for filling frivolous petition to stall the project.

UNI