Page 1 of 6

Auronet (https://auroville.org.in)

AUROVILLE LAND MATTERS

By Working Committee (WC) , 04 Nov 2024 / 09:55 pm

in Report Tags AUROVILLE LAND MATTERS

AUROVILLE LAND MATTERS

November 2024

We wish to bring transparency and share with the community the situation of the land purchase and

land exchanges. And some important facts about the Land Board.

- Mid 2022, the Auroville Foundation has appointed 2 Special officers to deal with the Land board

members about land matters including purchase and exchanges.

- In March 2023, the 4 executives of the Land board were not allowed to work on land Purchase and

Land exchange anymore. This work was assigned exclusively to the Special Officer Mrs M. with the

help of Mr K. The 4 executives became Land Service members instead of Land Board executives.

- 1st August 2023, Mr K was appointed as Land Board executive, by an Office Order from the

Auroville Foundation. Letters of protest with documented evidence were sent from the 4 Land Board

executives and by the Working Committee but without success to have him removed.

Brief summary of the land purchase and exchange situation.

1. 2022. Land Purchase by the Land Board members:

7,93 acres

7,17 acres in the City, 90%

0,76 acre in the Green Belt, 10 %

2. 2022. Land exchanges, mainly by the Land Board members:

9,21 acres

7,32 acres in the City, 80%

1,89 acre in the Green Belt, 20 %

3. 2023. Land exchanges only by the Auroville Special Officer Mrs M and Mr K

16,27 acres

Page 2 of 6

9,79 acres in the City 60%

6,47 acres in the Green Belt 40 %

12,5 acres oat AuroOrchard have been exchanged

Based on the market prices of the land in the Master Plan, the City and the Green Belt and the high

value of AuroOrchard at the Tindivanam Highway bypass, the exchange was done with unfair ratio in

favour of one land owner and Auro Oceanic, with a total loss for Auroville for 52,29 crores. These

exchanges were approved by the Auroville Foundation, the Secretary and the Land Committee.

4. 2024. Land Exchanges proposal, done only by the Auroville Foundation Special Officer Mrs M.

and Mr K. (12 land exchanges, most of it is done)

24,80 acres,

5,45 acres in the City 22 %

19,34 acres in the Green Belt 78 %

78 % of Green Belt land at less value, non-priority lands were exchanged with the best lands of

Auroville, Auro Orchard, Djaima, Felicity, with a very high market value. Exchanges done with unfair

ratio in favour of the land owners with a total loss for Auroville for 47,06 crores. These exchanges

were approved by the Auroville Foundation, the Secretary and the Land Committee.

Total loss C and D: 99,42 crores

This Land exchanges as described in C and D, were executed in total contradiction of the Governing

Board decision in its 61st meeting on 08-11-2022, to establish the Land Committee, it was recorded

in the meeting minutes as follows:

“The Board appointed a committee to analyse and approve land purchase and exchange

transactions including prices and exchange ratios as proposed by the Land Board for the purchase /

exchange of lands needed for the Auroville city area in the year 2021-22 and henceforth. The Board

suggested that for the meetings of the committee at least two Governing Board members, Secretary

AVF and OSD AVF should be present. Membership of the committee was approved as follows:

(followed by names and designations)”.

The words “......as proposed by the Land Board.....” may be taken note of. The numerous land

exchanges have been finalised, for which the proposals did not come from the Land Board and

without consultations with the Land Board. Also, from the above-mentioned Governing Board

meeting minutes, it is clear that the Land Committee was established for “lands needed for the

Auroville city area”. This raises a serious question on the processes being followed.

In the history of Auroville, we have never suffered such a level of mismanagement.

This state of affair was so shocking and alarming, that 2 members of the Working Committee

decided to do something not to repeat the exchanges of the best lands of Auroville against much

less value of lands in the Green Belt.

We are in favour of land exchanges, but it should be done with a priority for the City lands and with a

proper ratio based on the real value of the lands, and with full transparency and accountability.