Published On : Sun, Mar 23rd, 2014

Land sharks on the prowl to grab NMC’s prime 7.65-acre land in Pandharabodi by tricky ways

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An NGO – Jansamasya Nivaran Sangharsh Samiti – 39, Deotale Layout, Near Ambazari Garden, Nagpur, has exposed a well-planned conspiracy by some of city’s bigwigs to wrest NMC’s 7.65-acre land adjacent to Pandharabodi Talao (Lake).

Land-Mafia

Nagpur News: The fact that the land sharks are always on the prowl to grab the land is nothing new or is not the news. What matters is the different and dubious modus operandi to usurp the land whenever and wherever the sharks spot the prey. A development of the same kind has come to the fore. An NGO – Jansamasya Nivaran Sangharsh Samiti – 39, Deotale Layout, Near Ambazari Garden, Nagpur, has exposed a well-planned conspiracy by some of city’s bigwigs to grab NMC’s 7.65-acre land adjacent to Pandharabodi Talao (Lake).

The Secretary of Jansamasya Nivaran Sangharsh Samiti N L Savarkar, in a letter shot to the NMC Commissioner, has pointed out that a land admeasuring 27.10 acres in Mauza Pandharabodi was awarded to Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). Out of 27.10-acre land, 13.25-acre land has been sanctioned for Bajiprabhu Nagar Layout and 6.20-acre land has been allotted for facelift of Pandharabodi Lake including beautification and conservation. The remaining 7.65-acre land was transferred to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in accordance with orders of Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the Secretary said in his letter to NMC Commissioner.

The letter further informed that earlier, the land was under NIT jurisdiction. The NIT, through a negotiated agreement, had given the 7.65-acre land to “Nagpur District Tennis Association” for Lawn Tennis Court. However, the “Nagpur District Tennis Association” breached the agreement by various ways and means forcing NIT to take back the 7.65-acre land. However, the “Nagpur District Tennis Association” in a crafty move, changed its name as “MSLTA” (Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association) and again negotiated an agreement with NIT and grabbed the 7.65-acre land again.

The period of the land agreement between the “MSLTA” or Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association got over in 2013. In the meanwhile, the said 7.65-acre land was transferred to Nagpur Municipal Corporation in accordance with orders of Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on a Public Interest Litigation for beautification, conservation and other relevant works of Pandharabodi Lake. However, some bigwigs in Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association, in connivance with office-bearers and top officials of NMC have become active to wrest the high-income generating land from NMC. Now, the “MSLTA,” with its muscle powers, disallows people, specifically the kids, of the nearby areas for using the land for playing or any other sports purposes. On the contrary, the “MSLTA” recovers exorbitant charges from other people for allowing them to utilize the land and it has become regular business and a huge revenue source for the Association, said the Secretary of Jansamasya Nivaran Sangharsh Samiti N L Savarkar in his letter.

The letter has urged the NMC Commissioner to either utilize the 7.65-acre land for facelift of Pandharabodi Lake and surrounding areas in accordance with the High Court orders or the NMC should utilize the land itself and create sources for its revenue and curb the nefarious activities of “MSLTA.” The NMC can even run the Lawn Tennis Court itself instead of giving the land to any private entity on rental basis. The NMC should provide justice to sports lovers of the nearby areas and not fall prey to land sharks, the letter stressed.