118 years later, 417 acres at Fatehgarh Sahib village freed

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh/Fatehgarh Sahib, May 12

Having stayed in illegal possession for 118 years, the Punjab Government got vacated 417 acres at a Fatehgarh Sahib village from private individuals today.

The land at Chaleri Kalan village in Sirhind block of the district had been in illegal possession of multiple private individuals since 1904.

As per information from the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, four men had occupied 417 acres in 1904. The land was passed on from one generation to another and was sold illegally to some Dalit families as well.

The land was in illegal possession of 63 families, said Narbhinder Singh Grewal, District Development and Panchayat Officer, Fatehgarh Sahib.

The families occupying the land illegally for over a century tried to fight the battle in court, but they failed to establish ownership and lost the case in 2015.

During the past seven years, the department, however, failed to take possession of the land despite having court orders in its favour.

Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the state government would set up a government veterinary hospital at Chaleri Kalan.

Taking stringent action against unauthorised occupation of government land, the department has removed encroachments from 1,008 acres of panchayat land worth Rs 302 crore in the past 12 days and handed it over to the government.

Similarly, in Doaba, a potato grower has voluntarily handed over 35 acres, which had been under illegal occupation for years.

The minister pointed out the pace of the drive to remove encroachments from panchayat lands had slowed down recently amid strike by Revenue Department officials. With the strike now over, the department was looking at freeing 200 acres daily in the coming days.

Special cell formed

• Panchayat Department has set up a special cell to get rid of encroachments. It will compile data, examine legal and other aspects and submit a report
• A number will soon be issued by CM Mann to share info about encroachments on government lands, said minister

(With inputs by Surinder Bhardwaj)