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Land sharks trying to grab Rs 800 cr army land

February 24, 2010 00:00 IST

The Army, on Tuesday,alleged that revenue records that had shown a 69-acre land in Pune belonging to military since 1918, were changed in 2008 in favour of certain individuals. "Survey No 233A of Lohegaon village, Pune is a plot of 69 acres of defence land. This land has been in possession of army since 1920s and the land has been occupied by army units where army has carried out training, plantation, construction of a small temple, a green house and boundary wall," a defence press release said.

"The revenue records clearly show this as military land. In 2008, portion of this land was acquired by the Pune Municipal Corporation for road widening project by paying Rs 4.45 crore to the government of India. This gave an indication of the cost of this land, which is approximately Rs 800 crore and since then, parties with vested interest have tried

to lay their claim over this land," the release said. "To achieve their aim they have manipulated land records of Defence Estates Office. Even revenue records that had shown the land belonging to military since 1918 have been changed in 2008 in favour of certain individuals," it said.

The HQ Southern Command and Defence Estates Office, Southern Command raised the issue with CBI and the case is being investigated for possibility of manipulation of land records, it said, adding the case is sub judice."The land-sharks have been making concerted effects to grab defence land at prime locations. To frustrate their designs, Southern Command has embarked upon a project of physical identification and demarcation of all defence lands, organising better watch and ward arrangements and digitising the land records in the national interest," the release said.