Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 08:15 [IST]
Last Update: Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 02:33 [IST]
No vendetta against anyone, cannot overlook fraud acts: SDM
JORETHANG,: Eighteen land deeds in Jorethang subdivision were cancelled by the authorities over irregularities and illegality in their registrations. Such fraudulently registered deeds are reported to have caused a loss of Rs. 1 crore-Rs. 1.5 crore to the State exchequer.
Jorethang SDM Saloni Pradhan had initiated the crackdown on illegal land deed agreements.
Speaking to media here on Wednesday, the Jorethang SDM informed that 30 deed agreements were examined by the authorities, out of which, the south district collectorate office de-registered 18 agreements while nine more deeds are in the process of de-registration.
The said deed agreements were registered in SDM office, Jorethang in the span of last three years without proper documentation, as per the official.
“As we began the enquiry it was revealed that about 30 deed agreements were made under the basis of trade license and voter IDs only which is highly illegal and unethical as per the old laws of Sikkim under Article 371F.
We even called the land buyers for a hearing on December 29, 2021 to hear their side of the story where only 18 turned out and failed to produce the required documents”, said the SDM.
It was informed that some of the deed owners had even started construction in their respective sites by paying a fee of mere Rs. 1000 to the State government.
Their illegal agreements have brought the revenue loss of about Rs. 1 crore - Rs.1.5 crore to the State government, Pradhan added.
Pradhan shared that there are some Residential Certificate (RC) holders in the list. They can be exempted if they produce the required documents as mentioned in the 2018 RC notification of the State government, she said.
Pradhan maintained that she has no personal vendetta against anyone. I took this initiative as a government servant as I cannot overlook fraud acts being done from this office that risks the future of Sikkimese and also harms the old laws of Sikkim, she said.
The SDM stressed that Sikkim is in dire need of awareness when it comes to old laws and special rights provided to Sikkimese under Article 371F.
