Patiala Improvement Trust takes a U-turn on allocating Sabzi Mandi land to MC

Patiala, February 18

The Patiala Improvement Trust has decided not to allocate its Sabzi Mandi land at Division Number 2, to the Municipal Corporation and quashed the latter’s plans of developing a public park on the site.

The move is being seen as a subsequent result of rumblings in the Congress involving the Local Bodies ministry and MC Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu.

The MC had recently spent Rs 4 lakh over cleanliness drive at the said site.

Officials in the Improvement Trust said the land is attached with the income tax accounts and the trust would need to submit an application in the Supreme Court for its detachment, reason why the decision has been taken.

Sant Banga, chairman, Patiala Improvement Trust, said “The land belongs to the Improvement Trust, but it is attached with income tax accounts. We will need to detach it in the court thus it cannot be given to the MC.”

In September 2019, the civic body had decided to develop a park on the land after the Improvement Trust expressed its inability to do so over lack of funds. The MC decided to transfer an alternate land near the Government Press on the Sirhind road in lieu of the Sabzi Mandi site.

The Mayor said, “The land belongs to the Improvement Trust, which can decide over its utilisation. Earlier, the said area was used as a playground. Recently, it became a dump yard and safe haven for drug addicts.”

Banga said, “All the works initiated by the Improvement Trust in its wards or by the civic body in its area are being initiated for development.”