Govt move to sell Ambala land in haste raises doubts

Pratibha Chauhan

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Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 11

The haste being shown by the HP Forest Development Corporation (HPSFDC) for an out-of-court settlement over the sale of its land worth crores in Ambala for a much lesser amount is raising questions in which the government does not stand to gain much.

Interestingly, even as a court case regarding this land is pending before the Divisional Commissioner (Revenue Appeal), Ambala Division, the HPSFDC has initiated the process for a settlement with a person who is not even the legal heir of the owner of the land. The land which was bought by the HPSFDC in 1969 is valued at crores though its circle rate is being exhibited as Rs 95 lakh.

Though a committee, especially constituted to explore the possibility of an out-of-court settlement, in its report submitted on December 3 stated that since the legal heirs of seller Gunwant Kaur had not responded, it was not possible to progress in the case.

It mentions that the applicant Deepak Sehgal has General Power of Attorney of two women who are neither the legal heirs of the owner, nor in possession of the land and party in the litigation.

“Selling the land and getting money is a good option as the HPSFDC has not utilised the money but then it should not be done to benefit an individual when the government can get a much higher value of the land,” admitted an official.

Department officials said there was a lot of pressure on them to try and make this proposal workable. The minister could not be contacted despite repeated efforts and JS Walia, MD, refused to comment stating that the matter was sub judice.

Intriguingly, the process to explore the possibility of a settlement was initiated on the basis of a representation made on September 17 this year to Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri by Deepak Sehgal, having only general power of attorney (GPA). The applicant urged the minister to stop the department from prolonging the litigation and save him from mental torture and financial loss.

Following this several decisions were taken at an amazingly fast pace, taking everyone by surprise. “The Board of Directors of the HPSFDC at its meeting on September 30 authorised the MD to dispose of the land through open auction, which could not be done in the absence of the clear title of the land. It has been decided to form a committee to negotiate and settle the dispute out of court with the legal heirs,” wrote Walia in a letter to General Manager of the Turpentine Factory at Nahan on October 27, 2014. The committee headed by Director (Legal), HPSFDC was set up on October 28. The committee submitted its report on December 3.