Vigilance men get notice for not acting against land scam
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, NOV 24
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Panjim today issued notices to State Vigilance officers in reply to an application by a social activist contending that the department did not registered a case on alleged land scam against a minister.
Vigilance Superintendent of Police Bosco George and Police Inspector are asked to appear before the Court on November 30 for reply failing which the Court said, it will decide the matter in their absence.
Social activist Kashinath Shetye had moved JMFC alleging that the police did not register his complaint wherein he alleged scam in conversion of Goa Housing Board (GHB) land at Colvale.
In a letter to Directorate of Vigilance, Shetye and 12 others alleged Chairman of the Housing Board Nilkanth Halarnkar of being involved in the scam.
He alleged that the land was acquired at the instance of GHB for the purpose of housing projects of the Board but it has now been allotted to Nilkanth Halarnkar Trust.
“He (Chairman of the GHB) apparently in an effort to channel lands acquired for the projects of the GHB, to his own use, has chosen to abuse his position in power as Minister for Housing and Chairman of the GHB has made a show of allotting Trust which he heads…,” the letter to the Vigilance department and Director General of Police, read.
The complainants said that this has resulted a loss to the exchequer of more than about Rs 57-lakh. The complainants also pointed out that the Chairman allotted 23,000 m2 at a throwaway price of Rs 1000 per m2 which land is worth about Rs 4,200 m2, to an institute of hotel management and the ownership is not known. They have estimated a loss of Rs 7.36 crores to the exchequer through the alleged illegalities.
MD REACTS: GHB Managing Director Melvyn Vaz has rubbished allegations leveled against the Board. He said that in the detailed lay out plan there are areas embarked for residential, commercial and institutional plots, housing open spaces and others.
“…this embarked land in detailed plan is approved by the Board and the Government. Institutional lands have been allotted for institutions like Vidhya Pratishan Trust, PP Shri Loknatheertha Swami Maharaj Mahayoga Trust and Vidhya Prabhodini Trust,” he said in a press note.
The officer stressed that the plots were allotted at rate fixed and finalized by the Board and approved by the Government. “We strongly deny the irregularities whatsoever and there is no loss to the exchequer whatsoever,” he said.
