Tata Camelot verdict dashes ‘high-rise’ hopes of people

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 12

The Delhi High Court verdict on the Tata Camelot housing project at Kansal has left most of the nearby residents disappointed. A majority of the residents, with whom the Chandigarh Tribune team talked to on the issue, said the high-rise township should be approved as it would bring development to the area.

“ Already, a lot of construction has taken place in the Sukhna catchment area. I am unable to understand as to how the project is going to affect Sukhna Lake now,” said Isha, who lives just opposite the project site and holds a managerial post in a private bank.

She claimed that like her, most of the area residents were hoping for tremendous development with the coming up of the project.

Arjan Kansal, a resident and ex-municipal councilor of Kansal, who had also contested the Punjab Assembly elections in 2012, and Iswari Dutt, an ex-Superintendent of the UT Education Department, also backed the project too.

The residents claimed that more than 450 houses in various residential societies and villages had already come up here, which was being termed as the catchment area.

“We have nothing to do with the project but we are sure that if it comes up, there would be spurt in development activities,” said Iswari Dutt adding that the Punjab and Haryana governments and the UT Administration should enact some common rules and regulations in connection with the area. Status of the site

Site status

During a visit to the site, which is just stone’s throw away from the reserved area of the Kansal forest, the Tribune team found two security guards, unaware of the development. At the site, which is fenced with a barbed wire and has a small wall of bricks at its entrance gate, the company has put a display board cautioning “trespassers will be prosecuted’. The site has a small office, having a room and a store, a transformer and electricity poles. Sources claimed that a few weeks ago, the boring work to withdraw water was on at the site. “The work is yet to be completed,” said the sources adding that the company officials usually visit the site once or twice a month.

What they say  

I will feel unhappy if the project is shelved. The project may bring development to the area. I don’t feel that it would cause any harm to Sukhna Lake. — Isha, deputy manager at a private bank

The area, being termed as the Sukhna catchment, has already seen a lot of construction activity. More construction will affect the Sukhna and the wildlife sanctuary. In my viewpoint, the court gave the right verdict  — Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Kansal Enclave

I am disappointed after the court verdict. The project should be given nod. If you talk about the catchment area, it includes all area around the lake. Why only one side of the lake is being targeted. — Ishwari Dutt, a resident of Kansal 

The high-rise housing project has gained attention since its inception. I think if allowed, it would result in the development of the area. Sukhna Lake is not going to be affected by it. — Arjan Singh Kansal, a resident of Kansal