Cong MLA says land mapping being done using Google Earth instead of physical verification; demands probe into irregularities by a commission headed by a retired HC judge.
Senior Congress MLA Arjun Modhwadia on Tuesday took the state government to task alleging several irregularities in revenue mapping of land in eight districts of the state. He demanded that a commission be formed to probe the irregularities.
Initiating the debate on budgetary demands of revenue department, Modhwadia said that land mapping had been ordered after a gap of almost 50 years in eight districts at a cost of Rs1,800 crore, but the process was marred by irregularities.
"The contract for mapping of the land has been given to a private company. However, the work is not being done as per the prescribed norms," Modhwadia said. He alleged that land mapping was being done using Google Earth and not through physical verification, as was required, and that the resultant data was fake and thus erroneous.
The land mapping is being undertaken in Sabarkantha, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Tapi, Surendranagar and Kutch.
According to Modhwadia, more than seven lakh units were to be mapped in Jamnagar alone.
The Congress leader said this was evident from the fact that thousands of farmers, whose land had been mapped in this manner, were not even aware about it.
"There are gross errors in the mapping. These could give rise to serious law and order issues in the state," he warned.
Modhwadia urged the government to not waste the opportunity and to ensure that land mapping was done in a proper manner. He demanded that a commission, headed by a retired high court judge, be formed to look into these irregularities.
The Congress MLA also criticised the government for allocating huge chunks of land to industries. He pointed that more than 104 crore sq mt of land had been given to industries between 2006 and 2010.
Modhwadia questioned reasons for giving land to Ford India at a lower price. He alleged that land worth Rs400 crore in Porbandar was given away for Rs15 crore. He said that the land was recently given non-agricultural status by the government after a gap of 54 years.
However, revenue minister Anandi Patel said that land mapping was being done using the latest technology. She said that the activity would be expanded to 12 more districts in the current year, while the process would be completed by 2015.
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