Land allotment: 4 Bihar plots for filmmaker Prakash Jha

Posted: Fri Jul 22 2011, 01:18 hrs Patna: More names with political connections in the land allotment by the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) are tumbling out — a Madhepura JD-U leader said to be a close aide of JD-U national president and Madhepura MP Sharad Yadav; a relative of then president of Bihar Industries Association, an ex-officio member of BIADA’s project clearance committee filmmaker Prakash Jha. Jha, who will screen his new film at his ready-to-open multiplex, Cinepolis, at the Pataliputra Industrial Area in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was allotted four plots for multiplexes, malls and a super-speciality hospital.
JD-U leader Abdul Sattar (who fought 2000 Assembly election from Uda Kishanganj Assembly segment, now Bihariganj), said to be a close aide of Sharad Yadav, was allotted 87,120 square feet to start a cold storage.
While Sattar could not be contacted, JD-U spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari said: “I am not sure about Sattar’s proximity to Sharadji.”

Saharsa Congress leader Ghulam Ghaush, a former Seva Dal functionary, was allotted 6800 sq ft for a wooden furniture unit at Saharsa. State Congress spokesperson H K Verma could not be contacted.
Former Bihar Industries Association president K P S Keshri was allotted 1.5 acres at Hajipur for a fruit and vegetable processing plant. The BIA president is an ex-officio member of the five-member project clearance committee of BIADA.
When contacted, Keshri said: “I am an industrialist and have been allotted the land in that capacity. So are several other BIA and other industry houses members. Forget my case, I am anguished at media questioning the land process. Where is the proof of subversion of rules?”
Jha was allotted 58,066 square feet plots in Pataliputra Industrial Area and Aurangabad and 87,773.4 sq feet in Muzaffarpur to construct a mall and multiplexes and 1.29 acres at Hajipur for super-speciality hospital.
Jha told The Indian Express: “Our Patna multiplex is ready and will screen Aarakshan on August 12 after its simultaneous release at several places. Our three other projects have been going with full speed. There is no question mark on any project whatsoever”.
BIADA managing director Anshuli Arya has defended the allotment saying there were not many takers for these plots and this would speed up industrialisation in the state. The Chief Minister has asked the Chief Secretary for a report on the allotments.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/land-allotment-4-bihar-plots-for-filmmaker-prakash-jha/820728/0