Illegal colonies continue to mushroom in city

Ravneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 13

In the wake of the Town and Country Planning Department’s decision to do away with the need of registered sale deed of illegal colonies for compounding, a number of illegal colonies have mushroomed in Patiala.

Such colonies could now be regularised on the basis of unverified sale agreements which can be signed in back date. Interestingly, a number of colonies have been recently developed, after the cut-off date. These colonies can be seen near Bhadson road, Chaura road, Sanaur road near vegetable market, near Gopal colony, among others. When contacted, the colonisers claimed to have submitted sales agreements to the authorities concerned for compounding of colonies.

Meanwhile, as per the policy of regularisation of illegal colonies, the registered sales deed is not a precondition for compounding an illegal colony. This was clarified after a meeting of Minister of Housing and Urban Development with the members of association of illegal colonies in July. They said it is not mentioned in the policy that one registry of plot is a precondition for compounding of a colony and therefore demanded exemption of the condition of a registered sale deed of a plot for regularisation of such colonies.

The officials of Town and Country Planning Department said documents, including registered sales deed, power of attorney or sale agreement can be used for compounding a colony.

The department clarified that the registered sales deeds were not mandatory for compounding of a colony.

Blank stamp papers from previous years are easily available in the market and can be used at later stages. Earlier, officials have also been in a fix over genuinity of stamp papers being used to get illegal plots regularised on basis of an agreement to sell. The stamp papers do not carry a government official’s certification over the agreement between the seller and the buyer. Also, their date-of-issue is a means to check if they are genuine only.

When contacted, Surabhi Malik, Chief Administrator, PUDA, said any colony when regularised will be checked as per definition of an illegal colony and development of the land as mentioned in provisions of the policy and PAPRA Act. She said development of an illegal colony as per the given criteria has a wide definition and we are looking at all required documents for compounding.