- 600 site allotment papers torn from 300 files
- Officers now scramble to verify beneficiaries
Mysuru: Today is Fourth Saturday, a Government holiday. But over 40 staff from Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) are at work inside their sections from early in the morning. Reason: To search for missing site allotment papers that have been torn away from the original files.
Over 300 pages that contain 600 site allotment documents (each page has two site papers) in various layouts formed by MUDA are missing. The scam came to light during the process of digitisation of all land records. A majority of files that have been tampered with are from Vijayanagar First, Second, Third and Fourth Stage and Devanur First and Second Stage.
Based on the directive of MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh, over 40 staff including MUDA Secretary Venkataraju, all MUDA Zonal Tahsildars, Engineers, Site Section Officers and Site Allotment Section Officers are working without a break to search for original documents, verify the names of allottees and at the same time digitise records. However, it is not sure when the papers were torn from the original files. The files are usually kept in safe custody and only a handful of officials would have access. MUDA is digitising all land records to prevent misuse and this tampering came to light during the digitisation process.
The files have been damaged with an intention of allotting the sites to people other than the beneficiaries. In many cases, the MUDA site allottees do not pay up the minimum site price and in this case, the site will be allotted to someone else. Also, there might be cases of impersonation. With the original documents missing, there is no way of verifying the documents that have been handed over to the beneficiaries. Also, site papers can be recreated and can be sold to other parties for a higher price. “This scam will not come to light as certain MUDA officials are hand in glove with brokers and real estate agents. This is the reason why the original files are tampered with. If the root document is missing, it is difficult to trace who the original beneficiary is and who has actually got the site,” sources said.
While the 600 missing papers from 300 files are predominantly from areas of Vijayanagar First, Second, Third and Fourth Stage and Devanur First and Second Stage, there are other areas too and the actual number of documents missing and their areas will be known only after the full audit is done. Each file has to be checked with other available records to identify and ascertain the real beneficiaries. And moreover, the officials who have torn away the pages have to be brought to book and disciplinary action must be taken against them, sources added.
By S.T. Ravikumar
This is institutional corruption in action. Large amount bof money must have changed hands between the MUDA officials and those who want them to lose these documents. To what reaosn, no one knows! Typical India, after independence! Jai Hind!
A few questions to Star of Mysore to ask/interview the necessary people at MUDA rather than just publishing the press release handouts given to SoM.
(1) Who (official names, designations) are all responsible for the safe keeping, storage, incharge, responsible for those files?
(2) Who (official names, designations) were their supervisors?
(3) Why the supervisors were not aware? Are they not vigilant in the jobs and keeping track of what their subordinates are doing?
(4) What sections of CrPC/IPC can be applied for this case?
(5) Are all the officials responsible, answerable being suspended till enquirey is completed?
(6) Will the responsbible MUDA authorities give a press conference with Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timebound action plan?
(7) What are the lessons learnt from this incident?
(8) What steps, processes, procedural changes will be done to prevent such a thing from ever happening again?
Will star of mysore meet the authorities and ask these bold questions of the citizens?
This editor of the SOM, should go back researching the incidences in Mysore caused by heavy monsoon rains. Even in 1950s, one could see scenarios of downed power lines and uprooted trees. rivers of water mixed with sewage flooding roads like the 100 feet Road.
As for his comments about tthe Devaraj Market and Lansdowne buildings which were part of the Wadiyar’s heritage, I can say, he does not understand what heritage means and how countries around the world protect their heritage sites.
Elsewhere, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar has explained the issues very well.
Very nice suggestion by Sachin for SOM to go to the MUDA premises & check for people responsible for this Mess & goodles and publish their names.
In Bengaluru BDA was a centre of corruption. BDA was notorious of alloting a site to two persons. The first person to construct goes scott free, while the second person goes to court fights for decades and gets an alternate site in a remote village. MUDA has surpassed BDA, no one knows a single site is alloted to how many owners? Todays news says that 300 pages of site allotment to 600 people is torn. Now who will gaurd the MUDA officers. ???
BDA had gained notoriety in alloting sites to two persons. The first who builds a house goes scott free, while the second will have to fight in courts for decades for alternate site. MUDA have surpassed this by alloting sites to number of persons, and have torn pages of allotment from master file. How the torn pages escapes the sight of office superintendent? unless he has torn the 300 pages of 600 site allotment.
@sachin seems to be living in another planet, not the planet where corrupt India is located. All his questions sound like arm chair wishful thinking, and if he has lived in Mysore and dealt with MUDA, he appears not, he would know like any other institution controlled by local or national government, the citizens have no say. Any one entering the premises will be stopped.
If 300 pages are missing as reported and if 600 people are involved, it is clear to any one that there is massive corruption, changing of wads of Rupees, and this issue will be hushed up soon. This is independent India, Modi’s bragging ancient culture!!