Landowners’ indifference behind delay in NHAI projects

Malerkotla, August 31

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Lackadaisical approach of successors and purchasers towards getting revenue records updated in connection with immovable property inherited or purchased has been identified as a major impediment in the acquisition of land for National Highway Authority (NHAI) of India projects in the state.

Though deadlock in progress of work on the Jammu Katra Highway project at Saraud village may be broken basically after receiving expressed consent of all co-owners as per revenue records, deployment of additional experienced revenue officials could expedite the process. Stakeholders allege the present ‘awkward’ situation had arisen due to a shortage of revenue officials in the district and a lack of coordination among residents and the revenue staff.

Discussions during a couple of meetings of a 10-member special committee, constituted with the consent of office bearers of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrian), revealed that amounts of compensation issued by the NHAI in connection with some pieces of land were not transferred in accounts of actual possessors as names of other persons appeared as co-owners in records.

In the most bizarre case, the actual possessors of land Bhagwant Singh and Raj Singh failed to get compensation for their acquired land, as the revenue records show a total of 52 persons as co-owners. The compensation amount issued by the NHAI has been awaiting transfer to their accounts pending explicit consent of all 52 persons, including some NRIs and industrialists. No progress was made during the meeting of the committee, as none of these people appeared for adjudication of the issue.

In another case, the claimant is shown as the owner of a piece of land that is in the possession of other persons who claim to be the actual owners. This issue too cannot be resolved unless division of the whole land is done in the presence of all owners and tillers.

In still another case, the actual owner is waiting for the transfer of the compensation amount, as revenue records show a plural number of co-owners, including some deceased persons and NRIs.

Acknowledging The Tribune observations, President Punjab Revenue Patwar Union Harvir Singh Dhindsa claimed that he had updated almost all records when he was posted at Saraud village; however, things worsened recently.

Speaking about the concern of the BKU (U) president, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, towards amicable resolution of problems at Saraud and adjoining villages, Dhindsa said, “We have assured the president, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, to get the records updated expeditiously in case farm leaders can persuade the farmers concerned to give written consent in favour of actual owners of land.”

Sources in the Revenue Department said lack of coordination among farmers and revenue officials had also remained a factor behind poor upkeep of records in the last decades. As many as three patwaris were implicated in vigilance cases on the complaints of residents of Saraud village at different times.