CM assures action against guilty

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 27

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said strict action would be taken against those influential persons who had indulged in benami land deals to purchase land from poor farmers in Renuka area in Sirmour to sell it further for hefty amounts as compensation for the coming up of the power project.

The assurance by the CM came on a question raised in the Assembly by Maheshwar Singh. “Some influential persons purchased land from poor farmers for a pittance only to make crores after the land was acquired by the HP Power Corporation Ltd for the Renuka power project,” said Asha Kumari.

She said these influential persons were aware of the MoU for the power project and bought the land after it was declared a project of national importance. She said such transactions amounted to benami deals and action must be taken.

Virbhadra assured that action would be taken and the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau was investigating into the matter. “I have personally received many complaints that land had been bought from the farmers at very low rates by securing power of attorney and later huge sums were taken as land compensation,” he said.

“We will seek details of the benami land deals and the actual land rates to ensure that the matter is taken to its logical end and the actual land owners get proper rates for their land,” he assured. The CM said 4,491 bigha land had been acquired from 2917 persons for the Renuka project.