NEW DELHI: Nearly half a century after New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) came into existence, Supreme Court on Wednesday asked UP government to consider replacing it with a metropolitan council for people-centric governance.
The direction was based on findings of an SC-constituted SIT, which gave a stinging report into the functioning of Noida Authority, finding, among other things, decision-making centralised in the hands of a few officers.
Accepting SIT's recommendations, a bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered: "In order to infuse transparency and fairness as well as a citizen-centric approach in the day-to-day functioning of Noida, we direct UP chief secretary to place the recommendation... before the council of ministers for an appropriate decision."
Till that decision is taken, the bench directed the chief secretary to post a chief vigilance officer, who should be an IPS officer or an officer on deputation from CAG, in Noida for a financial audit.
According to SIT, Noida officers were involved in 20 cases of excess payment of compensation to landowners. Led by IPS officer SB Shiradkar, SIT also concluded that Noida's land allotment policies favour builders, and there was a lack of transparency and fairness in the development authority's overall functioning.
Form citizen advisory board for Noida in 4 weeks: SC to UP government
It sought an inquiry into assets of officers and their relatives for a proper look at who benefited from excess compensation that Noida paid out.
Commenting on the functioning of Noida, SIT said discretionary powers exercised by its officers in allotment of land is such that very soon, there will be no land available in Delhi's neighbouring city for future development purposes. It also flagged the lack of process to garner public view and conduct environment impact assessments for projects in Noida. SIT said residents often complain of delay and inadequate resolution of grievances, as Noida Authority acts reactively rather than proactively.
The Justice Kant-led bench directed the chief secretary to set up a citizen advisory board for Noida in four weeks and banned giving effect to any project in Noida without environmental impact assessment and clearance from SC's green bench.
In the 20 cases where excess compensation was paid to landowners because of alleged collusion of Noida officials who were identified by SIT, the bench constituted another SIT to conduct a probe into each of these officers and register FIRs on detection of a cognisable offence. It asked the authority to grant sanction for prosecution against delinquent officials within four weeks of SIT seeking it.
"The SIT headed by a police officer not below the rank of commissioner of police will register preliminary enquiries (PEs) and proceed to inquire into the illustratively highlighted points (in the previous SIT report) and involve experts from forensic account department as well as economic offences wing. If the SIT, after preliminary enquiry, finds commission of cognizable offence, it would register FIRs," the bench said.
The court asked this SIT to submit a probe status report but clarified that excess compensation paid to landowners would not be recovered.
The direction was based on findings of an SC-constituted SIT, which gave a stinging report into the functioning of Noida Authority, finding, among other things, decision-making centralised in the hands of a few officers.
Accepting SIT's recommendations, a bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered: "In order to infuse transparency and fairness as well as a citizen-centric approach in the day-to-day functioning of Noida, we direct UP chief secretary to place the recommendation... before the council of ministers for an appropriate decision."
Till that decision is taken, the bench directed the chief secretary to post a chief vigilance officer, who should be an IPS officer or an officer on deputation from CAG, in Noida for a financial audit.
According to SIT, Noida officers were involved in 20 cases of excess payment of compensation to landowners. Led by IPS officer SB Shiradkar, SIT also concluded that Noida's land allotment policies favour builders, and there was a lack of transparency and fairness in the development authority's overall functioning.
Form citizen advisory board for Noida in 4 weeks: SC to UP government
It sought an inquiry into assets of officers and their relatives for a proper look at who benefited from excess compensation that Noida paid out.
Commenting on the functioning of Noida, SIT said discretionary powers exercised by its officers in allotment of land is such that very soon, there will be no land available in Delhi's neighbouring city for future development purposes. It also flagged the lack of process to garner public view and conduct environment impact assessments for projects in Noida. SIT said residents often complain of delay and inadequate resolution of grievances, as Noida Authority acts reactively rather than proactively.
The Justice Kant-led bench directed the chief secretary to set up a citizen advisory board for Noida in four weeks and banned giving effect to any project in Noida without environmental impact assessment and clearance from SC's green bench.
In the 20 cases where excess compensation was paid to landowners because of alleged collusion of Noida officials who were identified by SIT, the bench constituted another SIT to conduct a probe into each of these officers and register FIRs on detection of a cognisable offence. It asked the authority to grant sanction for prosecution against delinquent officials within four weeks of SIT seeking it.
"The SIT headed by a police officer not below the rank of commissioner of police will register preliminary enquiries (PEs) and proceed to inquire into the illustratively highlighted points (in the previous SIT report) and involve experts from forensic account department as well as economic offences wing. If the SIT, after preliminary enquiry, finds commission of cognizable offence, it would register FIRs," the bench said.
The court asked this SIT to submit a probe status report but clarified that excess compensation paid to landowners would not be recovered.
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