Construction of SCFs in Sunet riles residents
Kuldip Bhatia
Ludhiana, January 11
The development work commenced by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) on a piece of land in Sunet village for the construction of shop-cum-flats (SCFs) has become a bone of contention between residents and Trust officials making claims and counter claims over ownership of the land in question.
While residents claim that the site of development work was village common land, LIT officials stoutly denied it. According to officials the land was registered in the name of the Trust in the revenue record.
In a complaint lodged with the LIT chairman, the Maha Sabha president, Col JS Brar (retd), and other residents of the village claimed that the site earmarked for construction of SCFs was village common land. They stated that it was entrusted to the Maha Sabha for construction of a stadium and memorial in the memory of Gadri Baba Bhan Singh, a noted freedom fighter, who laid down his life during imprisonment at ‘Kala Pani’.
Baldev Singh, a representative of village residents, who was at the forefront to oppose the development work being carried out by the LIT, said the construction was started a couple of months ago. But, in the face of stiff opposition by residents, LIT officials had assured that the land (owned by the Trust) would be demarcated by revenue officials. The construction of SCFs would be taken in hand only if the title of land was clear, said officials.
“The work has recommenced without demarcation of land and production of proof of its ownership by the LIT in a high-handed manner. Now, Trust officials claim that as per revenue record, the land is owned by the LIT. ‘Inteqal’ is also in the name of LIT, which seems fishy,” said Col Brar (retd) and Baldev Singh.
However, the LIT superintending engineer, SB Sachdeva, strongly denied the allegations levelled by the Maha Sabha and a section of residents of the village. He said the revenue record was verified at the level of Tehsildar, which clearly showed that the land was owned by the LIT.
Before taking the work in hand, the LIT had intimated the district administration about certain residents trying to interfere in the development work started by the Trust, he added.
Sachdeva said if residents continued to interfere and obstruct the construction of SCFs, then LIT would lodge a criminal complaint with the police at the sole responsibility of villagers.
Why objections are being raised
In a complaint lodged with the Ludhiana Improvement Trust chairman, the Maha Sabha president, Col JS Brar (retd), and other residents of the village have claimed that the site earmarked for the construction of SCFs is the village common land. As per their claim, it has been entrusted to the Maha Sabha for the construction of a stadium and memorial of Gadri Baba Bhan Singh, a noted freedom fighter, who laid down his life during imprisonment at ‘Kala Pani’.
