No fresh construction at memorial site: Maya govt to SC

The Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh has denied any fresh construction activities at the site of Rs 2,600-crore memorials being constructed for BSP founder Kanshiram and other Dalit leaders in Lucknow. In a fresh counter affidavit filed before the apex court here on Monday, the state government submitted that whatever construction was being carried out was only with regard to certain structures which are not the subject matter of dispute in the Allahabad High Court. The state questioned the "maintainability" of the applications moved before the apex court by NGO Gomtinagar Kalyan Sanstha and others on the memorials dispute. The counter-affidavit claimed the applications were motivated and not maintainable as in the original writ petition filed by the NGO and others before the high court the allegations were only with regard to certain alleged violations of the town planning norms. But in the present application before the apex court, the state said the NGO had sought a total stay on construction activities, which was motivated to halt the construction and hence sought dismissal of the same. The apex court had on September 17 expressed dissatisfaction with the "most profuse apology" tendered by the state government for allegedly going ahead with the construction activities despite directions to the contrary. Earlier, the apex court had in a blunt message to the Mayawati government said it would examine the constitutional validity of the authorities' decision to spend a whooping Rs 2,600 crore for constructing statues and memorials for political leaders. "We have to examine whether you can spend so much of the public money," a bench of Justices B N Agrawal and Aftab Alam had said. "Serious questions arise in this petition," the Bench said adding "the cabinet and the legislature have to act under the constitution", it said. On September 8, the court had recorded an undertaking by Uttar Pradesh government that there would be no further construction at the memorials. However, media reports had said construction activities were going on in full swing despite the court's directive, after which the bench had issued a show cause notice to the state government. The state government filed an affidavit denying the allegations, which failed to satisfy the bench. The counter-affidavit has been filed in addition to the original affidavit. The UP government had triggered a controversy by changing the land use of certain areas adjoining the 35-acre sprawling Ambedkar Sthal park green belt by demolishing 30-odd public buildings to construct the memorials. Maya govt praises Central minister Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh came in for rare praise from the Centre with a Union Minister appreciating its action of busting a muti-crore fraud in an NREGA scheme in the state. While Congress leaders have generally been attacking the "misgovernance" of the BSP government there, Rural Development Minister C P Joshi lauded its "initiative" in unearthing the multi-crore fraud involving government officials and panchayat chiefs. Several government officials and panchayat chiefs have been arrested in the state in connection with the alleged fraud, detected by the state government recently. "UP government has started taking initiative. I came to know through media that it has taken action against 60 people (in connection with a case of swindling of NREGA fund). This is indicative of the fact that things have started moving (in the state). We should appreciate good things," Joshi said. Joshi said that there has been increase in awareness level of people in every state and no government can now afford to ignore corruption. "I don't think governments of any political party can afford to be ignorant of corruption as people are now quite aware and vigilant," Joshi said adding that all the states have started taking action for effective implementation of NREGA.

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