High Court questions Govt on Gr Noida land

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday questioned the state Government’s act of leasing back land in Greater Noida to allegedly favour a few individuals and a builder, according to a published media report.

Hearing a writ petition filed by one Kaman, a resident of Patwari village of Greater Noida, a division bench comprising Justice Arun Tandon and Justice Vipin Sinha passed the above order and fixed December 3 as the date for next hearing.

Nobody was present on behalf of the state Government to assist the court, so the court directed that on the next date the state’s Advocate General may appear before it to assist in the matter as it involves serious allegation of benefiting a few people chosen by state officials.

The court further said that in case on the next date of hearing no one appears on behalf of the state Government, then the chief secretary of UP may appear before it to explain the action of the state government in this matter.

Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Pankaj Dubey argued that in 2008 the state government had acquired land from Greater Noida villagers but later declared that the same was not required and would be returned under rules. However, in 2010 the Greater Noida authorities did not lease back the same land to the villagers but instead some costly land adjacent to highways was given to the villagers.

The report said subsequently, the villagers sought permission for selling the land adjacent to the highways and the permission was granted by the authorities immediately which was against law. It was forthwith sold out to a local builder whose father is a sitting MLA of UP This act of acquiring village land and later returning costly land adjacent to highway shows that a fraud was played in collusion with officials of Greater Noida Authority to benefit builders, the petitioner contended.