Moving swiftly after ordering a probe into the allotment of prime plots for a pittance in the heart of Delhi to organisations with RSS links — it was first highlighted by The Indian Express in August 2002 — the Urban Development Ministry has put on hold building plan sanction and frozen construction activity at the sites under scrutiny. In a letter to Delhi Lt Governor B L Joshi, Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has asked him to not to allow any construction in the properties being probed. Sources said Azad advised the L-G not to sanction any building plans for these plots until completion of the probe. The minister has also advised the L-G to issue instructions to the police, Delhi Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and other agencies to pre-empt any sanction of building plans and construction activity. In short, maintain status quo and ensure allottees don’t go ahead with construction. Joshi has been asked to instruct the Land and Development Office (L&DO) that no further allotment or handing over possession of the plots in question takes place. Retired bureaucrat Yogesh Chandra has been asked to ‘‘inquire into the matter and review all cases of allotment made by L&DO to various social, cultural, religious, educational institutions since 1998-99.’’ The one-man committee, told to submit its report within two months, has been asked to ‘‘recommend action in cases where deviations from the prescribed procedure and/or fulfilment of conditions of allotment are observed.’’ It has also been empowered to ‘‘suggest guidelines for allotment of land in future by the Land and Development Office in a fair, objective and transparent manner.’’ In August 2002, The Indian Express reported that of the 209 allotments made since 1996, 115 had gone to government departments. But RSS affiliates cornered most of the remaining 94 plots. The money the allottees were required to pay was a fraction of the prevailing market rates. Beneficiaries included Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Samarth Siksha Samiti, Vaish Agarwal Education Society, Agroha Vikas Trust and Students Experience in Inter-State Living.
