Tendering agency seeks Jawai land status report from govt

Jaipur: The Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project Corporation Ltd (ERCPC) has sought a report from the forest department on the status of the land after TOI highlighted the auction of islands inside Jawai Leopard Conservation Reserve (JLCR) in Pali district.ERCPC wants to give the islands on lease to private players for 50 years to develop and operate tourism projects. However, green activists criticised the move as Jawai dam houses more than 350 crocodiles.

In a letter, chief engineer has asked the revenue records from the forest to ascertain the boundaries before the auction. The letter reads, “In village Doodni district, Pali, the corporation has proposed to lease out islands and land parcel measuring 11.01 hectare falling under khasara number 19, 19/624, 39, 40, 41, 43,52,68 and 306. The area of island, which will be auctioned, is 1.64 hectare and land parcel on the shore is 9.37 hectares.”The state government agency aims to attract around Rs 25 crore after auctioning the islands. Tender documents suggest one plot and three islands around Jawai dam will go under hammer. The ERCPC is slated to open technical bids for a Rs 8.26-crore project on May 4 and 5, followed by financial bids from the qualified players later. Documents in possession of TOI indicate that the islands, with a combined area of around 5.4 hectares, will be auctioned for a tourism project in phases. Another 28 hectares of “unutilised land” near the reservoir will be leased out, too. “The islands will be leased in a phased manner and the state plans to earn Rs 25 crore,” a source said. Experts warn of ‘serious threats’ to leopard conservation Jawai dam. The planned projects will fall inside the leopard reserve, which also hosts sloth bears, wolves, chinkaras and other animals.