Villagers want Admn to seek review of HC order
Demolition in Sukhna catchment area
“The Administration should think of the plight of villagers who will end up on the road due to this decision. The Administration must seek a review of the court decision or move the Supreme Court against the HC order.”
— Harmesh, ex-sarpanch, Kaimbwala
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 8
A day after the UT Administration said it would not file any appeal against the HC order on demolishing all structures in the Sukhna catchment area, residents of Kaimbwala asked the Administration to reconsider its stand.
More than 600 houses, two temples, a gurdwara and a dharamshala located in Kaimbwala village may face demolition if the order is implemented. The villagers today held a meeting and criticised the move of the Administration.
“The Administration should think of the plight of villagers who will end up on the road due to this decision. The Administration must seek a review of the court decision or move the Supreme Court against the HC order,” said Harmesh, a former sarpanch of the village.
Paalla Ram, who has been the panch of the village for over 15 years, said, “The Administration should take up the matter with the court, highlighting the woes of local residents who have been living in the village for many years. They all will have nowhere to go.”
A group of residents told Chandigarh Tribune that they were planning to meet the authorities in this regard. They said any move by the Administration in the near future to demolish their buildings would face a protest from the entire village and people will hit the road.
* AAP writes to Governor
Chandigarh AAP on Sunday wrote to Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore seeking directions to the officials concerned of the Chandigarh Administration to challenge the order without any delay.
“Given the fact that you are the constitutional head of the Government of Punjab as well as the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, contrary decisions of the two governments on this important issue have sent out a negative message to the general public, who are looking upon you with high hopes. The least the citizenry of a country expects is consistency in the decisions of the governments,” Prem Garg, convener, AAP, Chandigarh, wrote to Badnore.
“Even the Capitol Complex is situated in the vicinity of Sukhna Lake, but is escaping demolition under this order merely on the technical ground of being built before the cut-off date. It may be possible for the Administration to raze and reconstruct government buildings with the taxpayers’ money, but it takes a whole life to build a house. Even legally allotted plots by HUDA and lawful constructions after getting building plans approved face action. It is a cruel joke on the residents,” read the letter.
