Monday, 17 October 2011

Deceptive MUDA Announcement

Recently MUDA (Mysore Urban Development Authority) called for applications from the public for allotment of sites in Lalitadri Nagar, R.T. Nagar and Chamalapura. The MUDA announcement is deceptive (whether unintentional or not) on several accounts.Notification link (pdf)
1. The announcement does not commit to any specific dates for allotment of sites or for refund of the initial deposit to non-allottees. Since it states that the initial deposit will not earn any interest, it is easy to infer the intentions of MUDA. Huge sums of public money will earn interest to MUDA at the expense of the public.  
2. The guideline paper issued along with the application form does not show any map of the place and the extent of the readiness of the sites, roads,ÿelectricity, water and UGD lines, etc. So the public have no way of knowing when the sites will be ready.   
3. Item 17 of the rules and regulations states that allotment at R.T.Nagar will be considered for only those who have applied for both R.T.Nagar and Lalitadri Nagar. Therefore, people who want sites at R.T.Nagar will have to apply for both places with separate initial deposits. So MUDA gets double the deposit it would otherwise have gotten. This appears to be an unfair trade practice.  
4. An affidavit form has been given, but there are no instructions that it should be submitted on stamp paper (I was told orally that it should be on Rs. 20 stamp paper) and notarized. Omitting the stamp paper and not notarizing the affidavit may itself become a reason for rejection of application!  
5. The affidavit asks the applicant to affirm "I and my family members are residing at the above address and it is a rented house and I am paying a monthly rent of Rs......" What if a person is not paying any rent but otherwise is eligible for allotment of site under MUDA?  
6. It is required that the Domicile Certificate should be signed by an "Administrative officer with seal". Can any administrative officer of any organization sign it?  Getting it signed by any administrative officer may again itself become a reason for rejection of application! 
How can MUDA be so reckless in distributing sites? Statutory bodies such as MUDA need to be more responsible.
Prof. B.S. Shankara, Mysore Grahakara Parishat