The government will take legal action to revoke the ban made after the notification of Section-3D of the National Highways Act for acquisition of land in four villages of Ghaziabad for the Meerut-Delhi Expressway. After the notification of Section-3D, the then Commissioner of Meerut Division, Dr. Prabhat Kumar had found several officers and employees guilty, including the then District Magistrate of Ghaziabad, Vimal Kumar Sharma and Nidhi Kesarwani, for increasing the compensation rate and distributing compensation at the increased rate. . On Tuesday, the cabinet approved the action on these two former DMs of Ghaziabad. Vimal Kumar Sharma has retired while Nidhi Kesarwani has gone back to her original cadre in Manipur.
The cabinet decided that if action is not taken against any officer / employee found guilty in the investigation, disciplinary action will be taken against them. The officers against whom action is going on will continue unchanged. In the investigation report, Dr. Prabhat Kumar had also recommended a high-level inquiry into the matter from the CBI or any other agency. The government has not taken any decision regarding the investigation from CBI or any other agency.
The expressway is 82 km long, which is being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India. The 31.77 km stretch of the expressway is in Ghaziabad. Notification of Section 3A of National Highways Act, 1956 was issued on 8 August 2011 for the acquisition of land for the project in Ghaziabad. The intention to acquire land under this section was expressed. At the same time, notification for acquisition of land under Section-3D was issued in 2012. The award for the land to be acquired was announced in 2013.
Arbitration suits were filed against the award by farmers of four villages of Ghaziabad – Kushalia, Nahal, Dasna and Rasulpur Sikrod. In 2016 and 2017, the then District Magistrate / Arbitrator decided to give compensation at the rate of four times the DM Circle rate of land under the new Land Acquisition Act. On the complaint of the case, the then Divisional Commissioner Dr. Prabhat Kumar investigated it. In their inquiry report submitted to the government on 29 September 2017, they denied the purchase of land, increase the rate of compensation by arbitrator and compensation at increased rate after notification of Section-3D. Due to increase in compensation rate, compensation could not be distributed and actual possession of land could not be obtained. The project work has stalled due to lack of possession.
The total amount of Rs 111 crore was assessed for compensation when the award of land (area 71.1495 hectares) of four villages which came under the scrutiny of Mandalayukta Meerut was initially declared. With the increase in compensation rates under arbitration, this amount now stands at Rs 486 crore. After the arbitration, compensation of 262 crore rupees has been distributed at an increased rate while 71 crore rupees is yet to be distributed. At the same time, compensation of 167 crores is pending under arbitration.
In this case Ghanshyam Singh, the then Additional District Magistrate (Land Adhyapati) of Ghaziabad, bought land in his son's name in Nahal village after notification of Section-3D and later received compensation at increased rate. Similarly, Amin Santosh also got more compensation by buying land in the name of his wife and other relatives. Both were suspended upon investigation.
