Using the Right To Information Act, a huge scam involving doling out of public land in Mumbai by successive governments to various private bodies for purposes other than of public interest has come to light. The total land given on lease by Mumbai Collector, Mumbai Suburban Collector and the Municipal Corporation is about 2 crore sq.mtrs. It fetches an annual lease rent of about 28 crore rupees, which works out Rs. 14 per sq. mtr., ie. one rupee forty paise per sq.ft. per year! At the market rents, these should fetch us over 4000 crores each year. Information on MHADA and Bombay Port Trust lands is not available.The information shows a completely bizarre picture of nepotism and corruption. There is evidence of a complete lack of accountability in the way Citizen’s properties are being mismanaged to the point of exploitation by the Public Servants entrusted with our property. Properties are being rented to beneficiaries at throwaway prices. To top it, some beneficiaries are being allowed to sell these properties with official complicity! A few examples illustrate the huge plunder of our money. Mumbai Collector has provided a list of 386 lessees who continue to occupy the lands though their leases have expired. A few examples: Name of LesseeAreaDate of expiry of Lease Rate of lease (Rs per Sq Mtr)S. R. Poddar30871/12/91 3 paiseD. R. Jaikar9553.591/5/1971 Less than 1paiseSimplex Mills7836.1822/4/1983 Less than 1paiseKhushaldas Vallabhdas16238.4831/12/1985 2 paiseSterling Investment1024.261/10/1982 Less than 1paiseMumbai Suburban Collector admits to 25 cases of expired leases, but writes they are not encroachers, but are ‘unadhikrut kabjedar’ (unauthorised occupiers). The case of Khar Gymkhana is quite intriguing. It paid lease rent of Rs. 60,801 in 1970. This was increased to Rs. 1,03,836 in 1984 and it was further decreased to Rs. 55,812 in 2004! In the last three years, a total of 3,05,757.62 Sq. m. of public land in Mumbai was either granted fresh lease or the old leases were renewed for a total lease rental of Rs. 3.24 crores, which means an average lease rental of Rs.106 per sq.m. In one case, the rent charged is as low as 30 paise per sq.m. A garden has been leased out at Rs. 333.8 per sq.m. The lease of Khar Gymkhana was renewed at Rs. 6.7 per Sq Mtr. Similarly, Municipal Corporation of Mumbai has a large number expired land leases. RWITC was given land on lease to run Mahalaxmi Race Course or Turf club. The first lease deed was made in 1914 for a period of thirty years, followed by another one for thirty years. However, no leased deed was prepared in 1974. However, a lease deed was signed on 7th April 2004 for a twenty year period from 1994 to 2013, for an annual rent of Rs 40 lacs. In September 2003, RWITC in complete disregard of the lease terms, advertised to give a part of the land to a subcontractor. By March 2004, a deal was agreed with a Company called Pegasus, which would have given RWITC an interest free deposit of Rs. 135 crores and an annual rent of 6.25 crores with an escalation clause. This would mean an effective rent of over Rs. 17 crores in the first year! By contrast for 2004, the revenue for BMC would be Rs. 40 lacs This means it was signed after the Pegasus deal had been negotiated. There is also enough evidence that lands given on lease on behalf of Citizens are being sold. It is beyond comprehension as to how a lessee or tenant can sell the land, which he does not own. Citizen’s properties, including Mill lands are being sold of by lessees with the active concurrence and knowledge of the Public Servants. Their conduct now borders on criminal misconduct. The amount of annual revenue loss appears to be a few thousand crores only due to these three authorities in Mumbai. There is a possibility it could be around 10,000 crores for the whole of Maharashtra. Similar situation prevails across then whole of India. The Governments should initiate prosecution proceedings against all defaulting Public servant. All Public servants should be directed to draw up a list of expired leases and publish them. They should publicise the process of auctions to fix future lease rents. Public Servants, who are entrusted with respective properties, must certify that the lands are being used for the purpose for which they were given. If there is a change of usage, eviction proceedings must start. I feel we the Citizens are being pushed into poverty, and the poorest starving man suffers most, since he is deprived of even his morsel of food. Documentary evidence for everything stated above is available and will be shown to anyone who wishes to see it.I request all the activists in such States which have RTI, to file for the following information from different Public Authorities to uncover similar plundering:Following details of lands owned by (Public Authorities) and given on lease:1.Total area given on lease.2.Total revenue accruing.3.Total number of lease deeds, which have expired and the lessors are still in occupation, further details are required:a)Details of names of lessors, area of land given, purpose for which given, area in which the land is located and amount of lease rent charged.b)Reasons for allowing them to continue occupation. 4. Xerox copy of standard format of lease deed made by (Public Authority).Also Please sign petition to CM of Maharashtra at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Commons/petition.html