Long-pending demands not met, colonisers protest against govt

Jalandhar, August 8

Miffed over the non-fulfillment of long-pending demands, a large number of colonisers and property dealers from the city held a massive protest against the state government in front of the District Administration here on Monday.

Protesters, under the banner of Punjab Colonisers and Property Dealers’ Association, raised slogans against the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, demanding quick redress of all their issues.

What realtors want

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• Issuance of no objection certificates (NOCs) for plots
• Permission for subdivision of plots having the required NOCs
• Hassle-free registration and sanction of such plots
• One-time settlement policy for already constructed buildings
• Grant of new power connections to plot holders possessing NOCs
• Regularisation of all colonies to date and reduction in the collector rates

Association state president Gurwinder Singh Lamba said they had been holding protests in different districts for the past two weeks over the non-issuance of no objection certificates (NOCs) against plots and FIRs being lodged against colonisers, hike in collector rates and among other issues, but to no avail as the government had not moved at all and is taking their demands lightly.

He said the protests organised today across Punjab were the final ultimatum to the government, and if it failed to act, they would be forced to intensify their protests. “The AAP government had made tall claims before the Assembly elections, but has failed to act, as a result of which, each and every sector is protesting”, he said, adding due to non-issuance of NOCs, both the public and those dealing in the real estate business are facing harassment.

Lamba said the colonisers for long had been demanding reforms in the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, and one-time settlement (OTS) for regularising illegal buildings constructed within the Municipal Corporation limits, but like previous Congress and Akali government, AAP MLAs and ministers, too, were giving the same excuse that “they are bringing the policy soon”.