Nagpur: Following the strictures passed by Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, Nagpur Improvement Trust will be conducting a public hearing on the controversial deed renewal with Maharashtra Rashtrabhasha Sabha, popularly known as Wockhardt Building near Shankar Nagar square here. NIT will be hearing the objections of citizens regarding the renewal of the said agreement on August 21 at 12 pm onwards at its office.
It may be mentioned that an organisation named Citizens Forum for Equality led by its President Shri Madhukar Kukde, has filed public interest litigation in the case. Hearing the petition the Bombay High Court comprising Justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Justice I.K. Jain has ordered NIT to call a public hearing.
High Court has quashed the earlier “premium determination” made by NIT on August 11, 2005 and directed the NIT to decide the premium fresh as per rule 8(2) of Land Disposal Rules 1983. In pursuance with the same NIT completed the exercise within two months and fresh demand notice of Rs.163 crores was sent to the Maharashtra Rashtrabhasha Sabha.
The lease dated August 21, 2006 was marred with several violations that were pointed out to the High Court which took cognisance of the same and directed that “Fresh Public Hearing” should be conducted in the matter of “renewal of lease deed” made for commercial purpose after March 31, 2021.
The High Court notice issued on Wednesday (August 16, 2017) said that the said hearing should be held in the chamber of NIT Chairman on August 21. The NIT had already published the Newspaper Notice on November 11, 2016 calling for objections and suggestions in this case from citizens.
The commercial exploitation of the government owned land was made in blatant violations of provisions of lease deed. land disposal rules 1983,” NIT Act, MRTP Act, CNC Act etc and other provisions.
The NMC has also issued “demolition notice” u/s 53 of MRTP Act to Maharashtra Rashtrabhasha Sabha for demolition of 11,000 square feets additional and illegal construction other than sanctioned plan.
NIT has appealed all the citizens to appear in large numbers for public hearing on August 21.
