IILEGAL AMOUTN IS REALIZED AT REGISTRATION OFFICES IN BHOJPUR DISTRICT WITHOUT PROVIDING FACILITIES

IILEGAL AMOUNT IS REALIZED AT REGISTRATION OFFICES IN BHOJPUR DISTRICT WITHOUT PROVIDING FACILITIES 

25-AUG-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------General people are harried lot and face a lot of problem due to arbitrariness and realization of illegal amount by the employees in the various registration offices of Bhojpur district right under the nose of the Registrar. The employees extract illegal amount in the name of appointment somewhere and also in the name of ‘sirista tax’ in other places. In such situation, people have to part with their hard earned money. When talked to cross section of society, people said that they sell their lands only under compulsion but realization of illegal amount in the registration office hurts them a lot.

Bhojpur district has three registration offices of which one is at the Bhojpur district headquarter at Ara, second is at Jagdishpur Sub-Division at Jagdishpur and third one is at Piro Sub-Division at Piro. The Piro registration office was inaugurated in March 2010.

With a view to reduce crowd of people during COVID 19, online appointment was necessary before coming to the registration office at Jagdishpur, but many months after the COVID 19 and when everything has become normal, this appointment rule is still in force but the employees of the registration office realize Rs. 2000 per person in the name of appointment and the people who denied to part with the money, are harassed and the registration of their land is not done on time. When asked, the employees said that the amount is fixed on all the tables whereas the registration office does not give its receipt. The same situation is also with the Ara and Piro registration offices. The name of the money collection may change. The amount is taken in the name of appointment at Jagdishpur registration office whereas it is realized in the name of ‘sirista tax’ at Ara and Piro registration offices.

A hot air machine has been installed in the waiting room of the Jagdishpur registration office where the buyers and sellers of land that emits Carbon dioxide gas with the hot air and caused a lot of problems. The employees sitting in the adjacent room, queried related to the purchase and sale of land and after acceptance, the land is registered. In such a situation, the people in the waiting room have a lot of trouble due to air condition and hot air and it can also cause disease while the Additional Registrar takes rest relief from the heat in his office.

Besides, it also lacks basic facilities. Toilet is built but it is in very poor condition and people do not want to use it. Even the drinking water is not available. The Jagdishpur registration office is being run in the newly constructed residence of the Additional Registrar temporarily as the Registration office is being constructed with the estimated cost of Rs. 1.15 crore.

Hundreds of people come to the Jagdishpur registration office daily to buy and sell of land but they face problem to park their vehicles as the registration office has not parking facility and so the people are forced to park their vehicles on roadside due to which traffic is obstructed.

The condition of toilet and waiting room in Ara, headquarter of the Bhojpur district and the oldest one, is pathetic because of this people who come to buy and sell lands have to face a lot of problems. Even the drinking water arrangement is very poor although the canteen is run by Jeevika Didi but there is a shortage of eatables in it and water bottles are charged more.

The Piro Registration Office runs on the ground floor of the three-storey building while the Sub-Divisional Officer and the Sub-Divisional Police Office run on the big two floors. Hundreds of people come for land registration every day and they had to wait in the Verandah of the registration officer under compulsion or wait sitting in the ‘katib’ (secretary) makeshift shops creating problems for the people as the registration office has not waiting room. About 30 to 35 land registrations are done daily. At least three to four people as witness and some others come with the buyers and sellers of land and all of them come either on motorcycles or vehicles. Parking is required for the vehicles whereas due to lack of parking people have to park their vehicle hither and thither.

The registration office is the main source of revenue and the government earns crores of rupees every year from the registration department. At Ara registration office 50 to 60 land registrations are done daily whereas 35 to 40 in Piro and 40 to 45 in Jagdishpur. Despite people do not even get basic facilities in these offices.

When talked, the Bhojpur District Magistrate Raj Kumar said that this is very serious matter and he was not aware of that. He said that it would be investigated and strict action will be taken against the employees and officers if found guilty in the investigation. The DM further said that maximum facilities have to be given to the people in the registration offices and no one has to be disturbed.

People came to the registration office for the sell and purchase of lands said the employees in the registration offices take advantage of helplessness. Even if the land is sold for the marriage of the girl, no one listens to. It is very messy situation. An amount more than the prescribed fee has to be paid in the name of ‘sirista tax’ at the time of sale and purchase of land at the Piro registration office. People sell land only when there is a shortage of money. Rs. 2000 more is taken in the name of appointment. This system was started during COVID 19 to reduce crowd of people but now the situation is normal despite the amount is charged otherwise the registration was put pending. This is wrong but no one there to pay heed to their problems.