BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Saturday directed departments concerned to complete the investigation into alleged irregularities in allotment of plots and houses by its agencies in two-three months.
The directive was given by Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at a high-level review meeting in the Secretariat here. Padhi also reviewed the progress in implementation of recommendations made by the task force.
Replying to reporters’ queries, Principal Secretary of General Administration GVV Sarma said the department had issued the modalities for implementation of the recommendations of the task force committee on May 6, 2015.
The meeting was informed that of 732 allottees on whom Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) had served notices, 653 have replied while the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) has received replies from 914 out of 1091 allottees who were issued show cause notices. Besides, the Odisha State Housing Board (OSHB) has served notices on 90 allottees.
While BDA has cancelled 11 plots, the State Vigilance has registered criminal cases against 24 persons for fraudulently getting plots or flats through false affidavits. Of 24 cases, nine relate to BDA while CDA and OSHB have seven and eight cases respectively, he said.
The Chief Secretary advised the investigating authorities to give ample opportunity to the allottees during hearing as per the principles of natural justice.
The Finance Department is in the process of preparing a database on allotments of plots/houses made since January 1, 1995. The State Cabinet had accepted the recommendations of the task force in November, 2014.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary G Mathivathanan, Bhubaneswar Development Authority Vice-Chairman Krishan Kumar, Special Secretary Finance Biraj Kumar Das, Cuttack Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra and senior officers from BDA, CDA, OSHB and State Vigilance attended the review meeting.