DDPO directs ejectment of plots

Gagandeep Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 28

The District Development and Panchayat Department has decided on 27 cases in which plots provided to landless labourers free of cost by the Punjab Government to construct houses were sold, in violation of terms and conditions.

The decision of ejectment of as many as 357 five marla plots has provided the possession rights of the plots to respective village panchayats.

Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, Preetmohinder Singh Sahota, DDPO, Jalandhar, said acting on the directions of the head office to deal with such cases on priority bases, the decision on 27 cases has been made.

However, as many as 89 total cases were discovered in the district as per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued in 2011.

“As per the scheme of the Punjab Government, landless labourers were given five marla plots to construct houses in 1970s. As per the terms and conditions of the letter of allotment, those could neither be sold nor exchanged by the beneficiaries. Even the possession thereof could not be parted or delivered to anyone else. The Deputy Commissioner was the authority to provide the plots,” he added.

The DDPO said the case of violation came to the fore in 2011, where the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the director, Rural Development and Panchayat, Punjab, in its judgment known as Jagga Singh vs State of Punjab to inquire into the matter.

He said, “The department has directed us to make decisions on these cases on priority basis. Therefore, in the wake of joining as DDPO, Jalandhar, I have made a decision on 27 cases. However, other cases will also be decided soon.”