Adarsh effect: Defence land records to be computerised

Once bitten, twice shy. Even as the saga over the Adarsh Housing society scam is still unfolding, the defence ministry today decided to computerise records of 1.7 million acre of defence land across the country.

The ministry also vowed to break the alleged nexus between powerful builders, land developers and defence personnel.

While chairing a parliamentary consultative committee meeting, Defence Minister A K Anthony said that to avoid Adarsh-like scandals, in which defence land is believed to be transferred for the construction of a high-rise building, defence officials would not be allowed to take any decision on the use of land in their locality and its transfer to a third party, especially for building and construction purposes.

Members from both the ruling and Opposition parties supported the ministry’s proposal.

Officials and MPs, who were at the meeting chaired by Antony, told Business Standard on the condition of anonymity: “Along with the Adarsh scam, the ministry is also worried over the burgeoning unholy nexus between the realty developers and ministry personnel, especially from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad where huge land is in military’s possession.”

The controversial Adarsh Housing society, meant for wives of Kargil war heroes, was built after local defence personnel gave clearance to the state government over the ownership of land. It was subsequently grabbed by defence and military personnel, bureaucrats and officials and politicians.

Currently, the matter is being probed by the defence ministry and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Moreover, some members wanted the ministry to explain the necessity of keeping such huge acreage of land in its possession without its usage. “The ministry, in its reply, said that it plans to bring amendments to the Works of Defence Act of 1903 so that the land can be utilised properly. Besides, during acquisition of land, farmers and local villagers will be taken into confidence and will be provided due compensation. The Act has not been amended since 1903 and thus the ministry is quite keen to amend it,” the sources added.