Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: Considering the request of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, the West Bengal Government has extended the lease period of prime land allotted to Jammu and Kashmir Government in Salt Lake city.
In a communication to Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, the Special Secretary in the Urban Development Department of the West Bengal Government has conveyed that extension of time has been granted for starting construction on two plots in Salt Lake City, Kolkata.
“In response to the J&K Chief Minister’s DO letter addressed to Chief Minister of West Bengal, I am directed to state that three months extension of time expired on April 2011 and subsequently further extension of time for one year expired on April 2012. Thereafter another extension for one year was allowed for starting construction work on the plots leased out to J&K Government and the same is expiring on April 30, 2013”, read the letter, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
“I am also directed to intimate you that a further extension of time for one year for starting construction work has been allowed by the West Bengal Government”, the letter said, adding “it is expected that the proposed construction work will start within the extended period upto April 2014”.
In his DO letter to the West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, the J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had mentioned that the multi-commodity cold stores and Kissan Ghar could not be constructed on the land leased out to J&K due to turmoil in the State.
The Chief Minister had also conveyed to the West Bengal Government that Department of Agriculture was taking steps for construction of pre-fabricated accommodation on war footing basis within next few months over the plots of land at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. Even expression of interest for preparation of detailed project reports through consultants for construction of Kissan Ghar and multi-commodity store is also being contemplated very soon.
It is pertinent to mention here that the WB Government vide Order NO: 262-SL/MO/AL-MD/34-84/87, dated 16-11-1988, allotted, on lease, two plots, measuring 4 kanal and 2.5 kanal of land to the State Government for establishment of cold storage and construction of Kissan Bhawan respectively in the Salt Lake locality of Kolkata. The possession of the two plots of land was taken over by the State Government on February 22, 2005 and January 19, 2006.
However, the right of possession of the plots was forfeited in February 2008 and January 2009, respectively, as the necessary process of establishment of the facilities had not commenced by then.
In order to secure the possession rights again the Minister-in-charge of Horticulture Department, during his visit to Kolkata, requested the Minister for Agriculture Marketing and Disaster Management and the Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, West Bengal Government, for suitable extension in the duration of possession. In response, the West Bengal Government conceded the State Government’s request by renewing the rights of possession over the two plots for one year.
The State Government managed to secure another extension in possession right, albeit for three months. But before the work could be started on the sites, the timeline expired yet again. The West Bengal Government agreed to allow another extension in the timeline till April 2012 and then till April 30, 2013.
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