Common land at Sunet village a bone of contention

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, April 22

Project undertaken by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) for construction of 27 shop-cum-flats (SCFs) on a chunk of land that falls in Sunet village has become a bone of contention between the residents of the village, represented by the Maha Sabha, an NGO, and the Trust authorities. While the Maha Sabha claimed the land, erstwhile being ‘shamlat deh’ (village common land), was donated by the panchayat for construction of a memorial in the name of Gadri Baba Bhan Singh, the LIT authorities claimed that the chunk was part of land acquired for commercial exploration.

Col JS Brar and Jswant Zeerakh, president and secretary of Baba Bhan Singh Gadar Memorial Trust, respectively, who are also office-bearers of the Maha Sabha, have alleged that the LIT has commenced construction work in a highhanded manner on a piece of land which was not owned by it. “Prior to the commencement of construction of the project, a stage and other structures put up as a part of Baba Bhan Singh Memorial were razed by the Trust authorities, they said.

In a communication to Punjab Minister for Local Bodies, the Additional Chief Secretary, Local Government, and the Vigilance Bureau, the aggrieved functionaries of the Maha Sabha and the Baba Bhan Singh Memorial Trust have demanded a thorough probe into the ‘illegal act’ of the LIT involving wastage of funds on taking up construction on a controversial piece of land at Sunet.

According to Zeerakh, the NGO has also sought legal redress by filing an appeal in the court of Additional Sessions Judge here and obtained a status quo (stay) order on the said piece of land till final disposal of the case.

The LIT officials, however, rubbished the claims of the NGO while asserting that ownership of the piece of land, previously belonging to village panchayat, now vested with the LIT after the area was brought under the city limits.

“After the stay order issued by the court, construction work has been suspended and legal process set in motion to get the stay vacated, the officials said, adding that the land would once again be got demarcated from the Revenue Department to make sure that khasra numbers of this chunk were included in the land acquired by the Trust for commercial purpose.