The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has filed its second criminal complaint in the court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate at Dera Bassi on November 26 against NK Sharma Enterprises for constructing the Savitry Greens II project at Ghazipur village in Zirakpur without obtaining the mandatory environment clearance (EC).
In its series 'Politics of land deals', HT had reported how Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma, a chief parliamentary secretary in the SAD-BJP government and treasurer of the Akali Dal, had furnished false affidavits to the state environment impact assessment authority (SIEAA) and the PPCB in his application for obtaining the environment clearance regarding construction status of the project.
He was given the NOC for Savitry Greens housing project at Gazipur village by the PPCB despite flouting the norms and providing "misleading" information.
A criminal complaint was filed against the company on October 18 for not obtaining the EC as per the notification issued by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) for company's Savitry Greens project at Bishanpura village.
Citing the second criminal complaint against Sharma in as many months, the Punjab Congress on Friday demanded his removal from the post. Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Khaira said in a statement that it had been established beyond doubt that he is a "perpetual and habitual offender" of the law. "It is now also evidently clear that he is grossly misusing his constitutional position as chief parliamentary secretary to trample the law of land with impunity. By allowing him to indulge in serious violations, both the CM and deputy CM are not only shielding and patronising him but have become party to his real estate mafia.
{{/usCountry}}Citing the second criminal complaint against Sharma in as many months, the Punjab Congress on Friday demanded his removal from the post. Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Khaira said in a statement that it had been established beyond doubt that he is a "perpetual and habitual offender" of the law. "It is now also evidently clear that he is grossly misusing his constitutional position as chief parliamentary secretary to trample the law of land with impunity. By allowing him to indulge in serious violations, both the CM and deputy CM are not only shielding and patronising him but have become party to his real estate mafia.
{{/usCountry}}Khaira said the Dera Bassi court on November 8 sentenced the chairman, MD and the ED of Kudos Chemie Company to two years and nine months imprisonment each. The said company had constructed its power plant at Kuranwala near Dera Bassi without obtaining the mandatory EC.
Khaira also trained his guns on Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, who has been rapped by a special CBI court of Delhi for "purposely delaying" the trial in a 19-year-old case. It was a matter of shame that a DGP of an Akali government had to appear before the Delhi court as a petty criminal, Khaira added.