Dispute over giving land to agriculture firm intensifies

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 21

The dispute between the PSIEC and the MCB over giving land to Cargill company for its extension project at the Industrial Growth Centre on the Mansa road has started intensifying.

The Punjab State Industrial and Export Corporation (PSIEC) had allotted 4.23 acres to the Municipal Corporation of Bathinda (MCB) long ago at a cost of Rs 750 per sq yard for which the MCB had paid around Rs 1.38 crore. Later, the collector rate of this land was fixed at Rs 2,500 per sq land.

Now, after the directions of the state government to sell the land to Cargill company for its extension project has led to a discord between the MCB and the PSIEC. While the MCB wanted to sell the land as per the agreement and earn Rs 5 crore from Cargill company, the PSIEC giving old reference wanted to take the land from the MCB and sell it further to Cargill.

The reason for the dispute is that if the PSIEC sells the land to the company, then it will have to give Rs 1.38 crore to the MCB, which it had paid to the PSIEC 20 years ago. By doing so, the PSIEC would earn Rs 3.62 crore from the sale of the land. On the other hand, the MCB wants to sell the land at the rate of Rs 2,500 per yard to the company directly.

Continuously under pressure from the state government, MCB officials have made up their mind to give the land to the company, but the ruling SAD-BJP in the House is adamant on giving the land on its own terms. Earlier, they had rejected the proposal of transferring its land to the company at the general house meeting, but now again the MCB officials are trying to table this proposal in the general house meeting likely to be held next week and get its approved this time.

The MCB officials are claiming that by taking advance at Rs 750 per sq yard from the PSIEC, we would transfer the land and later in six months or a year we would get the remaining amount.

Subcommittee member senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal claims that the MCB would sell the land at the rate of Rs 2,500 per sq yard and take money in one full payment. But the PSIEC is willing to give money in instalments, which is not acceptable to the MCB.