Suffering Shark-Bites

The Bombay High Court recently decided to take a closer look at Regulation 16. No less than 60 public plots of land were about to be taken over by the state government. The High Court said, hold on. And for good reason. A year ago, a 2,300 sq metre plot which had been reserved for a school and recreation ground was allotted to something called the Rahebar Foundation. The Foundation turned out to be a trust formed by the family of Maharashtra's minister of state for home affairs. He also happens to be on the sub-committee that allots the land under Regulation 16. Need one say more? The argument is often made that bureaucrats, along with judges and journalists, are grossly underpaid. Letting them buy highly-subsidised flats is one way of compensating them. I don't buy that argument. Pay more. And then let them use their money as they want, just like you and I do. Don't let them grab what belongs to the public.