Decision came as a bolt from the blue: Kansal residents

Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 3

About dozens of residents of Kansal and Nayagaon villages have been caught unawares as they have been constructing houses despite the fact that there was a ban on construction in the catchment of Sukhna Lake since 2011.

While talking to the Tribune, Ram Jas, who is working at a private firm, said the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordering demolition of structures within one km of the catchment area of Sukhna Lake has come as a bolt from the blue. He said he had purchased a semi-constructed house a few months ago and had got Rs 15-lakh loan transferred in his name.

He said he was in a catch-22 situation as he did not know what to do whether to continue the construction or stop the same as he had to pay heavy monthly instalments on the loan.

Krishan Yadav, a resident of Nayagoan, said he had constructed his house after 2012 after taking bank loan and paid huge price for the land. He said Rs 25-lakh compensation and alternative site would not be enough for a 10-marla house.

Gurcharan Singh, another resident of Kansal, said people continued to ignore the orders of the court and carried on with the construction. He said the High Court’s decision would affect the Punjab Government employees who were expecting the release of 6 per cent dearness allowance (DA) announced by the government in its recent Budget proposal. He said now the government would not release DA as it would now have an excuse that they had to deposit Rs 100 crore as fine in the High Court.

Anil Tiwari, cashier of the Confederation of Societies, claimed that around 500 house maps had been approved by the Nayagaon MC since 2011 while 5-10 house maps had been approved in Kansal.