Land grab: Despite Punjab CM's order, DCs fail to recover money from realtors

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, September 7

Despite Chief Minister’s clear directions to recover money from the real estate developers who have grabbed panchayat land, government officials and various deputy commissioners don’t seem to be keen to implement the order. CM Bhagwant Mann had ordered the authorities to recover money from the developers in 90 days.

On December 1 last year, The Tribune had reported that around 80 acres of panchayat land worth Rs 500 crore was included as part of projects of real estate developers in Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Bathinda, but the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats had failed to recover money from the developers. The land has been in the possession of the developers for more than a decade.

Taking cognisance of the news report, CM Mann had called a meeting of the department officials, and it was attended by the then Financial Commissioner Rural Development and representatives of real estate developers. He had issued directions to the Financial Commissioner Rural Development to recover money from the developers within 90 days.

Following this, the government had asked the DCs who head the Land Price Fixation Committee in the districts concerned to fix the rate on the basis of which the recovery could be made from the developers. However, over six months have passed since the lapse of the deadline given by the CM but the DCs have not taken action.

According to sources, not even a single district has submitted its proposal regarding the fixing of price.

It has been learnt that a few developers were even ready to deposit the amount to the department, but it could not happen due to the lethargy of the DCs.

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Laljit Bhullar could not be reached for his comment despite repeated attempts.

Shamlat land grabbed by 20 companies

There are around 20 real estate companies that have included panchayat in their projects. Many of them have either sold plots on the land or have carried out construction there. In Mohali alone, 54 chunks of panchayat land in around 35 villages have been grabbed by real estate developers. The other affected districts are Patiala, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Bathinda.