HC notice to state for making Dy CM party to resort case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion to the State of Punjab for impleading the Deputy Chief Minister as a party in the case. The controversy hovers around a chunk of land leading to a resort in Mohali partly owned by Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and his wife Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur. The land was acquired by GMADA.

The matter was brought to the court’s notice by Dr Juveeza Chadha. In his petition, Dr Chadha alleged the land acquisition process was carried out in a hurried manner without following the requisite provisions of law.

He had also told the court that the 100-ft-wide and 1.3-km-long road was being laid through Majra village. Metro Eco Green Resorts at Palanpur village was located just about 2 km from where this road was to end. The land acquisition process started in 2014 and was completed earlier this year. The petitioner then challenged the acquisition of a portion measuring 7 kanal, 15 marlas for the construction of the New Master Plan road by GMADA.

During the hearing, petitioner’s lawyer Rajiv Atma Ram alleged provisions of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency and Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 had not been followed in letter and spirit.

He alleged the requisite 60 days’ time to file objections was not given. He also questioned as to how Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presided over the meetings to clear such a project, to which the government counsel raised objections. GMADA counsel, on the previous date of hearing, had assured the court that construction would not be raised on the petitioner’s land.