The Times of India              26.11.2010

Court attaches HUDA property

 PANCHKULA: High drama prevailed at sector-6 Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) head office on Thursday when district court officials reached there and started impounding HUDA property, including official cars, furniture and other things. Later in the evening, HUDA officials deposited Rs 50 crore amount with the court to get it back.

Petitioners alleged that in 1992, HUDA had acquired their land in sectors 25 and 28 but did not pay full compensation yet. They approached the court, which attached six HUDA showrooms in sectors 8 and 23 and official vehicles.

HUDA had decided to pay Rs 1,10,000 per acre for the acquired land. Not satisfied, the affected villagers moved court, which decided the amount as Rs 62 crore, Rs 4 lakh per acre. When HUDA failed to pay the amount, the court attached its property.

However, this is not the first time. In an another case, court had put HUDA's Sector 6 main office on sale, freezed its fixed deposits and attached 17 official vehicles after HUDA falied to pay residents of Chowki village in Panchkula, whose land was acquired.

The petitioners had alleged that HUDA acquired land of farmers of Chowki village for developing residential sectors but did not compensate them. Estate officer Ashwini Sharma said, "They had deposited the amount with the court. He added they were ready to pay the amount but calculation of tax on the compensation takes time."