BJP alleges Rs 1-lakh-cr land scam in Noida, Greater Noida

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday alleged land scam worth Rs 100,000 crore in Noida and Greater Noida by the incumbent Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh.

The party has alleged forcible acquisition by state government agencies and paying pittance to farmers for their land, and later transferring plots to individuals and companies, most of which are untraceable and unknown.

“The Noida farmhouse scam alone, is worth Rs 5,000 crore,” BJP National Secretary Kirit Somaiya told reporters here. He also released a book on the alleged land scams in Noida and Greater Noida, which contains details of the purported scam.

Last month too, the BJP had released a similar book on the alleged corruption perpetrated by the Mayawati regime.

“The farmers’ land was acquired in 2009-10 in Noida at the rate of merely Rs 888 per square metre, while the current market price of the land is between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 per sq mt,” he said.

According to him, the government took away land measuring almost 11 million sq mt from hapless farmers under the garb of acquisition for planned industrial development in the area, while it was being transferred for commercial and personal use.

Somaiya maintained the plots had been transferred in the name of unknown or fictitious companies and entities.

Meanwhile, he had applied before the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) to allow him inspection of official documents related to land acquisition and subsequent deals under the Right to Information Act.

The party has demanded an investigation by the Special Investigation Team into the Noida scam and declaration of the beneficiaries of land allotment by the state government.

“Noida is not even providing the information sought by the Enforcement Directorate probing money laundering charges against some of its (Noida) officials,” he claimed.