Missing MC lease files put prime public properties under scanner

Ludhiana: The municipal corporation is unable to trace lease agreements of several prime civic properties allotted to educational institutions, trusts and other organisations, an RTI reply has revealed, raising questions over record management and monitoring of public assets worth crores.The disclosure came in response to an RTI application filed by city-based activist Rohit Sabharwal, who sought details of municipal properties given on lease or rent. According to the reply, the MC owns 326 properties, of which 301 are on rent and 25 have been leased to schools, trusts and organisations under agreements dating back to the 1950s and 1960s.However, the civic body admitted that lease agreement files relating to eight key properties are not available in its records.

These include properties allotted to Arya College, Kundan Vidya Mandir, Shri Krishna Charitable Trust, Dharamik Sewa Trust, Khalsa Education College, Mission Trust and two sites allotted to the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate. Records pertaining to some Verka/Milkfed booths and another site allotted to Shri Dandi Swami Golok Dham are also unavailable.The missing files assume significance as many of these institutions occupy sizeable parcels of municipal land at highly concessional rates.

During an earlier exercise to revise lease charges, MC officials had disclosed that Arya College was paying Rs 1 per annum for nearly five acres, while Kundan Vidya Mandir was paying Rs 250 annually for five acres. Shri Krishna Charitable Hospital, Khalsa Education College and Dharamik Sewa Trust were also occupying land on nominal lease amounts.The RTI reply further revealed that agreements of some organisations expired years ago but records of fresh leases are not available.The civic body also acknowledged outstanding dues running into crores. According to records shared under the RTI, arrears of Rs 5.93 crore were pending till July 2020, while dues relating to major Zone A properties stood at Rs 2.40 crore as of March 2023.Sabharwal alleged that he had earlier approached vigilance authorities over the issue, claiming that poor monitoring of leased properties had caused loss to the public exchequer. He demanded an inquiry into the missing records, expired leases and recovery of outstanding dues.