‘Conflict of interest’: Capt buys land, curbs set to go

Ruchika M Khanna & Rajmeet Singh 

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 30 

In an apparent case of conflict of interest, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has bought land in Siswan village in the ecologically fragile Shivalik foothills, days before his government was to allow a notification restricting construction in that area to lapse.

Once the notification lapses on February 2, he will be free to develop the land on the periphery of Chandigarh and its price is expected to witness a steep rise. 

The Punjab Government was expected to re-issue the notification under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900, before February 2. This would have ensured that the nature of land is not changed as the law is aimed at preventing soil erosion and conserving sub-soil water. 

Other than Capt Amarinder, the other major beneficiary of the intended move to let the notification cease will be Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. A part of the land (over 3 acres) on which his luxury resort, Oberoi Sukhvilas, stands, is also locked under the Punjab Land Preservation Act. Another developer of a golf course resort in these lower foothills will also benefit, as will several land sharks operating in the area. 

Of the 28 bighas and 5 biswas bought by Capt Amarinder (chahi or irrigated land) recently, 3 bighas and 19 biswas come under PLPA. This means that he cannot undertake any land breaking or construction on this land, locked under PLPA. If the notification is not issued, his land becomes free of the restrictions. Several other Congress leaders, bureaucrats and cops, too, have allegedly bought land here and will benefit from the largesse to be bestowed by “overlooking the re-issue of notification”. 

Lashing out at this conflict of interest, Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira today said this was a dangerous nexus. He has written a letter to the Chief Secretary alleging breach of oath of office on part of the CM and demanded an inquiry.   

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The Tribune had reported yesterday how the government was letting the present duration of the notification for PLPA cease on February 3, benefitting developers. 

The Tribune has found that a major part of the land bought by the CM was already de-listed from the PLPA in 2011. Omkar Singh, who sold the land to the CM, said it was chahi (irrigated) land, where a small house can be constructed. He along with his brother, Gurmel Singh, have sold the land to Capt Amarinder. 

When contacted, Capt Amarinder’s media adviser Raveen Thukral admitted that a part of land was locked under PLPA. “ The areas that are under PLPA will only be used for forestation. There is no question of any law being violated. The primary purpose for which the land was bought was agricultural, with a cottage being planned for construction as a farmhouse,” he said.

Chief Conservator of forests shunted out

Chief Conservator of Forests (Hills) Harsh Kumar was on Tuesday transferred out after The Tribune highlighted how he was issuing letters to developers asking them to wait for land development till the notification period expired. The orders for his immediate transfer “on administrative grounds” were issued on the directions of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. Harsh Kumar, however, claimed he was being victimised for raising cases of blatant corruption in the Forest Department.

Govt dilly dallying

Even as the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation has recommended that Punjab government re-issues the notification under PLPA for the villages located in the ecologically fragile Shivalik foothills, the government seems to be dilly dallying. The recommendation by experts from the Institute were received by the government on Tuesday evening, which said that there was still need to preserve and stabilise the soil in these areas, thus the PLPA notification needed to be issued.