High Court order on Employees’ Housing Scheme: Chandigarh employees file caveat in Supreme Court

Dushyant Singh Pundir

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Chandigarh, July 24

Members of the UT Employees Housing Welfare Society have filed a caveat in the Supreme Court. They filed the caveat after they learned that the UT Administration has planned to move the Supreme Court against the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court wherein the UT Administration and the Chandigarh Housing Board were directed to start the construction of flats under the self-financing housing scheme for government employees and complete the process within a year. The judgment was pronounced on May 30.

Have full faith in the judiciary

“We have full faith in the judiciary and we will get justice. Nearly 100 employees have already died fighting the case with the UT Administration,” said Dharamender Shastri, general secretary of the society.

Dharamender Shastri, general secretary of the society, stated that a caveat was filed in the Supreme Court on July 22. He said they would fight for their rights until death. “We have full faith in the judiciary and we will get justice. Nearly 100 employees have already died fighting the case with the UT Administration,” he stated.

Sources said the UT Administration was planning to file a review petition in the apex court within the stipulated period of 90 days. They said it was not possible to construct the flats within a year, as floating of tenders would take nearly two months. Also, the Administration would suffer a huge loss if the land was allotted at the collector rate of 2008.

As many as 3,930 applicants/employees were declared successful in the draw of lots for the scheme more than a decade ago. The applicants/employees had deposited Rs 57 crore as earnest money with the CHB, whereas the latter was required to deposit approximately Rs 43 crore with the UT Administration to comply with the letters of intent dated January 10, 2008.

The petition in the matter was filed way back in 2013. A substantial number of employees have since retired from service upon attaining the age of superannuation and some of them are staying in rented accommodation. Many applicants have even died over the years.

The housing scheme for the employees was launched in February 2008 by the Administration. The draw of lots was held on November 4, 2010, and approximately 3,950 employees were successful. The flats were to be constructed in Sectors 52, 53 and 56. However, nothing has been done by the CHB and even acceptance-cum-demand letters were not issued to the successful applicants.

The cost of construction would be borne by the employees at the current rates. Thus, a three-bedroom flat will cost around Rs 50 lakh, a two-bedroom flat around Rs 40 lakh, a one-bedroom flat around Rs 35 lakh and an EWS flat around Rs 15 lakh.