Chandigarh, April 3
In a desperate bid at damage control, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today, while washing his hands off the decision to withdraw the change of land use (CLU) approvals to promoters of mega-housing projects, directed the chief secretary to submit within 10 days fresh guidelines for setting up of residential projects in the vicinity of industrial units.

The Chief Minister also asserted that his government would follow a pro-active policy to invite big investments.

Chairing an emergency meeting following The Tribune report headlined “Badal rocks builders’ foundation”, which reported that the CLU approvals granted to approvals some top colonisers had been withdrawn by the government, Badal expressed anger over the fact that he had not been informed about the withdrawal of CLU approvals. He is also reported to have taken the officers to task over the issue.

CLU approvals were withdrawn by the Department of Housing and Urban Development on March 26 following the revocation of no-objection certificates (NoC) to the colonisers by the Punjab Pollution Control Board on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The tentative list of colonisers whose NoCs have been cancelled by the PPCB includes Good Luck Township Promoters Limited developing the Oasis Colony Amritsar, Metcalfe Properties developing the Nirvana Colony Amritsar, Hem Kund Land Developers developing Model Town, Khurampur Nakodar village, Gurdhian Singh developing Preet Garden village, Binpake Nangal Jalandhar, Harmol Singh developing South City Jalandhar, Taj Enclave Developers Bhawanigarh Road Samana, SB Properties developing Pink City Chaura Road Patiala, Ekta Constructions developing Ekta Vihaar Dhuri, PVS Builders and colonisers developing Pawan Enclave Malerkotla, Kissan Colonisers developing Ram Rajya Enclave Thikriwala Road, Barnala, Kissan Enclave developing Model Town Malerkotla, Shamsons Colonisers Patiala developing Golden City Sangrur-Patran Road Dirba, Sundram Colonisers Patiala developing Sunder Vihaar, Dhuri Road Malerkotla, Vision promoters and Developers developing Residential apartments village Bhankarpur Dera Bassi, ATS Infratructure Ltd developing ATS Greens Gold meadows village Madhopur Dera Bassi, Omaxe Constructions developing Omaxe group housing Dera bassi, Parsavnath Developers developing Parsavnath Greens Dera Bassi, Gee City Builders Pvt Builders Rishi Apartments Dera Bassi.

The list also includes UT builders developing Green Estate Barwala Road, Dera Bassi, Shuvam Colonisers developing Sunrise City Mansa road Bathinda, Ansal Mittal Group developing Sushant City Bathinda, Reglan Infrastructure developing Gulmohar City Extension Dera Bassi, Sheeshmahal Developers developing Sheeshmahal Bathinda, Baba Farid Colonisers developing Farid Enclave-II Faridkot, Eldeco Infrastructure developing Estate One Bhuttian Ludhiana, Akmepolis developing a colony in village Jandiali Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road, Solitaire Colonisers developing Ranjit Avenue Phase II Ludhiana, Sun Beam Colonisers developing Alamgir Enclave Ludhiana, Kwality Builtech developing Defence City Dera Bassi and Janta Land Promoters developing Sectors 90-91 at Lakhnour Mohali.

Sources, however, pointed out that the list was tentative and more colonies are likely to be added in the coming days.

Putting the onus for the government action on the Amarinder-led previous government, Badal said the process of revoking NoCs of housing projects began during the precious regime and not his. He pointed out that the decision to revoke and withdraw the NoCs issued by the PPCB to mega-housing projects had been taken by the Congress government on February 15, 2007. On February 17 this year, the government had informed the court through an affidavit of the chief secretary that the approvals granted to mega-housing projects had been withdrawn.

While it is true that following the direction of the court, the decision to withdraw NoCs was taken by the previous government, the CLU approvals were revoked only last week. Sources added that majority of the NoCs were also cancelled in March 2007, after the Badal government took over.

Sources also said that since the High Court directions had to be followed under all circumstances, the new government could not have stopped the process that was started by the previous government.