Joint action council alleges large-scale corrupt
By Express News Service
18th August 2010 08:11 AM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The NH 47, NH 17 Joint Action Council has alleged that large-scale corruption is taking place in the name of National Highway development.
The Joint Action Council leaders Hashim Chendampilli, E V Mohammadali and Sundaresan Pillai told a news conference here on Tuesday that a ‘BOT lobby’’ was behind the decision to convene an all-party meeting to review the previous decision of an all-party meeting to limit the NH development to 30 metres.
They pointed out that it was following popular agitation across the State that the all-party meeting recommended 30-metre highway avoiding the BOT. Now, the move to sabotage the all-party meeting is the result of the pressure being exerted by the BOT lobby, they alleged.
The Action Council leaders said that the study conducted by RITES had pointed out that four-laning of the existing National Highway was not feasible.
They said that around nine lakh people would be affected by the acquisition of land on both sides of the 850-km-long NH 47 and NH 17. Shops and commercial establishments would have to be demolished leading to tens of thousands of people losing employment.
While each cent of land on both sides of the NH has a market value of over Rs 3 lakh, the compensation offered is just Rs 34,000.
The State Government has estimated an amount of Rs 3,000 crore for the acquisition of 5,000 acres of land, compensation for the loss of employment, houses and livelihood. But Union Minister Kamalnath has been denying even this amount, they said.
The leaders alleged that corruption was behind the fixing of the alignment. Crores of rupees had been unearthed from the houses and offices of the high officials of the NH Authority in CBI raids. By presenting an estimate inflated by 300 percent and claiming 40 percent of the Central grant, the private company is scheming to construct the road using the government fund, the Action Council leaders alleged.
They said that the BOT company would get Rs 75,000 crore as profit in 30 years. The displaced people will have to pay 11 percent income tax on their compensation being given by the government.
They reiterated the stand that as the government had already acquired land for 30-metre widening and even more land at many places, it could construct the road using the amount set apart for the rehabilitation of the people being displaced for the 45-metre National Highway.
The Joint Action Council leaders warned of agitation in the event of any attempt to implement a 45-metre NH.
The Joint Action Council leaders Hashim Chendampilli, E V Mohammadali and Sundaresan Pillai told a news conference here on Tuesday that a ‘BOT lobby’’ was behind the decision to convene an all-party meeting to review the previous decision of an all-party meeting to limit the NH development to 30 metres.
They pointed out that it was following popular agitation across the State that the all-party meeting recommended 30-metre highway avoiding the BOT. Now, the move to sabotage the all-party meeting is the result of the pressure being exerted by the BOT lobby, they alleged.
The Action Council leaders said that the study conducted by RITES had pointed out that four-laning of the existing National Highway was not feasible.
They said that around nine lakh people would be affected by the acquisition of land on both sides of the 850-km-long NH 47 and NH 17. Shops and commercial establishments would have to be demolished leading to tens of thousands of people losing employment.
While each cent of land on both sides of the NH has a market value of over Rs 3 lakh, the compensation offered is just Rs 34,000.
The State Government has estimated an amount of Rs 3,000 crore for the acquisition of 5,000 acres of land, compensation for the loss of employment, houses and livelihood. But Union Minister Kamalnath has been denying even this amount, they said.
The leaders alleged that corruption was behind the fixing of the alignment. Crores of rupees had been unearthed from the houses and offices of the high officials of the NH Authority in CBI raids. By presenting an estimate inflated by 300 percent and claiming 40 percent of the Central grant, the private company is scheming to construct the road using the government fund, the Action Council leaders alleged.
They said that the BOT company would get Rs 75,000 crore as profit in 30 years. The displaced people will have to pay 11 percent income tax on their compensation being given by the government.
They reiterated the stand that as the government had already acquired land for 30-metre widening and even more land at many places, it could construct the road using the amount set apart for the rehabilitation of the people being displaced for the 45-metre National Highway.
The Joint Action Council leaders warned of agitation in the event of any attempt to implement a 45-metre NH.
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