JS body to go tough with scams linked to Rajuk plots

It seeks names of bigwigs who got govt plots abusing power
The parliamentary (JS) standing committee on public undertakings has observed that the Rajdhani Unnayan Kortripakkho (RAJUK-the capital city development authority) has no transparency in its activities and directed the organisation to report within six months on measures on removal of irregularities in it.
The JS committee yesterday asked Rajuk to single out the persons who took allocations of plots and building-structures in the capital through striking out earlier allotments to others by exercising political influence from 2002 to 2008.
The persons who have allegedly used their influences in getting Rajuk plots include former ministers and MPs of the past BNP-led 4-party alliance government, advisers to the immediate-past caretaker government, bureaucrats and businessmen, said sources close to the parliamentary committee.
The parliamentary standing committee members sought names of those who had earlier got allocations of these plots and flats and also the reasons why the allotments had been stricken off as well as the reasons why the plots were re-allocated.
They also sought to know who have taken possessions of plots in Gulshan, Baridhara and Uttara suppressing facts that they owned residences in the capital – which violated Rajuk rules.
Coming to irregularities plaguing the organisation, the parliamentary standing committee observed, “Rajuk has not been submitting its annual report to the government since 2001. There are irregularities with the Rajuk officials’ provident fund. No proper records of Rajuk’s immobile and trust properties have been kept. The committee has directed Rajuk to remove all irregularities in its activities and to report in six months in this regard,” Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, chairman of the committee, said while briefing journalists following a meeting.
The JS committee directed Rajuk to take necessary steps to ensure construction of buildings according to building construction code, besides immediate implementation of Purbachol, Jhilmil and Uttara (3rd) projects.
“We have directed Rajuk to refund the money with interest to the persons who did not get Rajuk plot after submitting applications. We have also directed it for allotting plots in comparatively developed areas to those who have incurred loss due to land acquisition by Rajuk, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir said.
Rajuk has to work together with other organisations like Dhaka City Corporation and WASA to reduce traffic congestion and water logging in the capital, he said adding the private companies’ satellite towns have to be constructed around the capital to reduce pressure on the city.
The committee also recommended that Rajuk should make necessary arrangements to ensure habitation for the poor people of the city. In the past, Rajuk did not pay any attention to arranging dwellings for the city’s poor, he further said.
“The housing crisis of the capital is increasing day by day and it will be more acute if the residential facilities of the city’s poor people cannot be resolved. We have told Rajuk to prepare a project following the model of Singapore to resolve the housing crisis of the poor,” Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir said.

Courtesy of The Independent