Chappar Chiri Khurd residents to file their reply on August 31

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 23

Several Chappar Chiri Khurd residents, who were served notices under Sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Public Premises and Land (Eviction and Rent Recovery Act, 1973) by the administration recently, appeared before the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) court today. Residents said they would submit their reply to the court through advocate in the coming days. The court fixed August 31 as the next date of hearing.

The Mohali DDPO, Sukhchain Singh, said, Residents, who were served notice to provide a proof of ownership of the land and residential houses under their possession, appeared before the court and sought permission to reply through their advocate. The court fixed August 31 as the next date of hearing, he added.

“Notices have been sent to villagers to vacate illegally occupied land as per the orders of the High Court. The hearing of the case has been going on since 2015. Now, the evidence of land ownership is being sought from them,” said officials.

Residents said they had been living in the village with their families before 1947. Now, they were being asked to show proof of ownership of houses, residents added. They were told that they were occupying land illegally, said residents.

“A report from Kanungo and Patwari on August 23, 2019, states that the land concerned is a populated area while the government is claiming it to be a green belt,” said a village resident seeking anonymity.

Officials said the outer area of Chappar Chiri came in the green belt when this village was part of the Ambala district long time ago. Gradually people started building houses and other structures in the outer area, officials added. Notices were served to only those residents of Chappar Chiri Khurd, who had ‘encroached green belt’, said officials.

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