Rajkumar Topannavar of the AAP has filed a complaint with the Lokayukta, and today, speaking to the media, he alleged that Belagavi Urban Development Authority (B.U.D.A.) has disposed of plots by manual auction, resulting in a loss of at least 100 crores to the government.
B.U.D.A. is renowned for its urban development activities, such as providing house construction sites to the needy and poor who lack shelter. However, it appears that the officials of B.U.D.A. are engaging in corrupt practices, leading to a loss of faith in the organization among the citizens of Belagavi. Topannavar added that this has caused the organization’s name to be tarnished.
He Questioned: What was the necessity of conducting manual auction on 18/03/2022, immediately after an e-auction was conducted on 16/03/2022 & 17/03/2022 respectively? Holi Festival was celebrated on 18th March in Belagavi City & it is celebrated in a big way in Belagavi, Very few people would turn out for a manual auction on a Holi Festival. This clearly indicates that the B.U.D.A. Officials did not want General Public to participate in large numbers and this manual auction was conducted to benefit & please a select few.
Which type of auction gives more transparency? i.e., Manual? Or e- auction?.
Why proper notification about manual auction is not given as per the public auction rule.
Why manual auctioned is conducted on Holi festival celebration day?
Even though manual and e-auction area of plots is same and all manual auctioned plots are corners plots and all are in prime locations. Manual auction rates is fixed as Rs. 1400/- and e-auction is fixed as Rs.1800/- Why Rs. 400/- per square feet is less in manual auction?
The Bidders in the manual auction have bid uniform rates which & in most cases bidding are continuously same by all Bidders. This creates a lot of doubts in our minds on the way the manual auction was conducted. How can all Bidders bid the same price?.
How all bidders demanded/quoted same rates continuously?
BUDA document – Form No.1 shows there is single participants/bidder for individual plot. What is bidding computation rule? If so why Form No. 1 issued.
For sale of plots of various sizes through e-auction, BUDA has fixed the price per square feet for each plot. For example, plot number 978 in Ramatheerth Nagar area is 1080 square feet and the price of this plot is Rs.1800/- per square foot by Belgaum Urban Development Authority. Different people participated in this auction and presented their demands for this plot, according to which . (Ref. form No.1 and table) is demanding this plot No. 978 at a very high price of Rs.5150/- per sq.ft. That means they are demanding Rs.3350/-[5150-1800-3350] per square feet higher than the rate fixed by Belgaum Urban Development Authority in online e-auction mode and number of competitors are more.
But at other side for sale of plots of different sizes in the same area through manual auction, Belgaum Urban Development Authority has set a price of Rs.1400/- per square feet for each plot. In the same area e-auction mode government bidding minimum prize they fix 1800/- per square feet. Even though the are corner sites and are at prime location in manual mode auction minimum bidding price fixed of Rs. 1400/- (Rs.1800-1400-400/-) fixed less of Rs.400/- purposefully.
It is observed that through Manual auction in the office of Belagavi Urban Development Authority on Dated: 18/03/2022 the said plots were sold at only Rs. 1450/. This has caused a lot of loss to the Belagavi Urban Development Authority (BUDA). For example, plot number 334 has been priced at Rs. 1400/- per sq.ft. They demand Rs. 1450/- per sq.ft. But it is observed that in Manual auctioned a (Ref. form No.1 and table) alone is found to have participated in the said manual auction. Apart from him, no one else is found to have participated in the manual auction. That means only one participant and no competitors. Accordingly, all other bidders are also demanding Rs. 1450/- per sq.ft for the remaining plots. A point to be noted here is that the Date: 18/03/2022 was HOLI FESTIVAL IN BELAGAVI CITY.
Action must be taken against the corrupt officials in Buda, and a complaint has been filed for corruption. Furthermore, a public interest petition will be submitted to the court in the coming days, according to the statement.