Gilani panel’s sword hangs on PU land of Dhawad’s institution

Nagpur: In a major setback to former MLA and Congress leader Ashok Dhawad, the high court-appointed Gilani Committee has recommended that the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) should cancel allotment of one of two public utility (PU) lands made to his institution.
The panel further recommended the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to relocate all structures on playground allotted to his institution. The committee exposed serious violations in the allotments and utilizations on PU lands and playground.

Apart from Dhawad, many politicians including Congress former minister Satish Chaturvedi, BJP MLA from Tirora Khushal Bopche and BJP MLC Nago Ganar have come under scanner of Gilani committee that submitted its report with the HC last month.

The committee said, “NIT’s activity of doling out PU plots to the politically influential persons continues unabatedly and one of the ex-trustees Ashok Dhawad, who is associated with Shankarrao Dhawad Polytechnic and several other educational institutes, was allotted 38,273.32 sqft (3,557 sqmt) land of mouza Somalwada, khasra no. 27/1 in Rajiv Nagar to Navodaya Shikshan Sansthan and Pragati Educational, Cultural and Charitable Society in 1991 and 1998, respectively,” the committee said.

As per details given in the report, PU land no. B and C of 26,888 sqft in Rajiv Nagar were allotted to Dhawad’s Navodaya Shikshan Sansthan in the meeting held on February 12, 1991. The meeting was organized on a public holiday (Mahashivratri). The meeting was held when regular NIT chairman Nand Lal was on leave. He was supposed to join on February 18, 1991.

“The entire controversy revolves around this allotment. It is alleged that the reason for this was that Dhawad was a trustee of the NIT at that time. He was present for the meeting of the NIT board on February 12, 1991,” the committee said. Dhawad was also an MLA during that period.

The committee added the NIT rules prohibit allotment of more than one PU land to one institution or head subject to minimum limit of 15,000 sqft. “NIT had received 27 applications for PU plot B and 30 for PU plot C. NIT board has not mentioned any specific reason behind rejecting other applications,” the committee said.

The committee also said that despite the land being allotted for educational purpose, the institution utilized a part of PU lands for commercial purpose. “Only possible inference is that the decision-making process has been flawed thus making the allotment of PU plots. B and C non est. Decision of HC in writ petition of Amar Sewa Mandal vs State may apply to the case,” the committee said.

The NIT in its note said allotment of PU land to Amar Sewa Mandal was cancelled. Currently, school and college buildings are situated on the two PU lands along with commercial shops in ground floor.

The committee added, “Restoration of premises currently under commercial use will not jeopardize the interests of the stakeholders. About the case in hand, and in similar such cases, the message should go that the wrong is not rewarded,” the committee said.

The NIT had also allotted playground of 53,380.36 sqft (4961 sqmt) to Navodaya Shikshan Sanstha situated on the rear side of two PU lands at a nominal ground rent of Rs100 per annum. “No constructions were permissible in the playground. Inspection revealed that Santaji Jagnade Maharaj hall, small thatched roof hut, Hanuman mandir, Hanuman Seva Trust structure, Ganesh mandir and Sant Gajanan Maharaj mandir were constructed on the playground. It is solemn duty of the corporation to restore the open place to its original position. This can be done by relocating the existing structures,” the committee said.

Dhawad told TOI there were no violations. “After NIT’s allotment, the state government had approved it. Also, NIT had given building plan sanction for the structures on PU lands. PU lands are being used for educational purpose,” he said.