Indian Express 5.11.2009
GMADA to hold draw of lots tomorrow
Notwithstanding the dispute and court case over the land acquired under the urban estate, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has finally decided to hold the fourth draw of lots for the allotment of remaining plots in Sector 76-80 here on Friday.
“Over 350 plots, measuring 100, 200 and 500 square yards, will be allotted to letter of intent (LOI) holders and around 250 eligible oustees during the much-awaited exercise,” GMADA Chief Administrator (CA) Vivek Partap Singh told Newsline.
The eight-year-old long wait to get physical possession of the allotted plots, however, will continue till the litigation pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court comes to an end.
Last month, the Punjab Council of Ministers had turned down the proposal for out-of-court settlement with the litigants while rejecting the implementation of land pooling scheme with retrospective effect.
Punjab Advocate General (AG) H S Mattewal had made a statement before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on March 16 that the matter to implement the land pooling scheme in the land acquisition case of Sectors 76-80 was discussed with the CM.
It was decided that in order to alleviate the problems being faced by landowners who, by and large, do not belong to the affluent section of society, the land be released to them, only as a one-time measure.
Only the petitioners who have not collected compensation for their land can avail of the benefit, it was added.
The said release or adjustment, the AG had stated, would be subject to their paying external development charges for the said land.
The AG also conveyed to the court that the said decision would be put before the Council of Ministers and the decision of the Cabinet would be placed on record on the next date of hearing.
The Punjab Cabinet, however, rejected the memorandum in view of the legal and financial implications involved.
Following Punjab’s U-turn, the hearing in the case pertaining to a dispute over 100 acres of land scattered in the sectors has once again resumed before the court, which will now decide the issue on its merits.
Meanwhile, budging under pressure by allottees over the delay in allotment, GMADA has decided to hold the draw of lots for plots available outside the disputed land.
A formal note in this regard was approved by Punjab Chief Minister, who is also the GMADA Chairman.
During the last three draw of lots since 2007, GMADA has allotted 3,580 of the total 3,931 plots carved out in the urban estate.
Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) had acquired around 1,400 acres to develop the urban estate in Sector 76-80 in 2001.
While owners possessing land over 1,200 acres had offered their landholdings after accepting the monetary compensation, the owners of over 100 acres had challenged the land acquisition by rejecting the monetary compensation, which they had called “meager”.
With the court restraining any activity on the disputed land spread across almost all sectors, the allottees of over 1,400 plots are still awaiting allotment even eight years after receiving the letters of intent.
PUDA had collected 10 per cent of the cost price of each plot from LOI holders while over Rs 30 crore has been spent till now on the development of these sectors.
The LOI holders were, however, allowed to sell the land on paper owing to which, the documents have changed many hands.
