Alleging large-scale irregularities in distribution of compensation package for the tribals displaced by Sardar Sarovar Project, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) today said a scam to the tune of Rs 500 crore was perpetuated in connivance with Madhya Pradesh government officials.
According to NBA, fake registries were made in the name of fictitious persons for siphoning off huge amount of compensation meant for the real beneficiaries.
‘Official-tout nexus'
“This scam in the rehabilitation of affected persons of the Sardar Sarovar Project involves over Rs 500 crore, which took place because of the nexus between officials and touts,” alleged the NBA leader, Ms Medha Patkar.
She alleged the scam took place between 2002-08 and it mainly involved officials of the rehabilitation, revenue and registry departments of Madhya Pradesh.
‘False claims'
Ms Patkar also alleged that all claims about rehabilitation of the project-affected people turned out to be false as in many instances the registry papers of the land purchased for them turned out to be fake.
The NBA leaders also presented a tribal by name Kelya from Barwani district who told reporters that a person named Vijay Jat had arrived in his village and took him along with four others to Khargone for award of compensation.
Later, he asked us to put thumb impression on a few papers and paid us Rs 50,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively and later disappeared, Kelya said.
Since then the tribals have not seen him, Kelya said, adding, he, along with scores of others were duped in a similar fashion by touts in connivance with the officials.
The cases of forgery are mainly reported from eight districts, including Khargone, Barwani, Dhar and Dewas, an NBA activist said, adding that over 3,000 such fake entries are under scanner in this connection.