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2008 UT employees housing scheme: As Chandigarh admn plans to move SC, employees union files caveat

Around 4,000 flats were to be built in Sectors 52, 53, and 56 by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) for government employees as part of the 2008 UT employees’ housing scheme, which is one of the longest pending projects in the city

Updated on: Jul 25, 2024, 09:34:01 IST
By , Chandigarh
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With the UT administration planning to move the Supreme Court (SC) against the Punjab and Haryana high court order to allot land at the 2008 collector rates for the employees’ self-financing housing scheme, the employees union has now filed a caveat before the apex court.

Chandigarh employees’ housing welfare society general secretary Dharamender Shastri said that the employees moved a caveat before the SC on July 22 and will fight for their rights till their last breath. (HT Photo)
Chandigarh employees’ housing welfare society general secretary Dharamender Shastri said that the employees moved a caveat before the SC on July 22 and will fight for their rights till their last breath. (HT Photo)

A caveat is a caution or warning, giving notice to the court to not issue any grant or take a step without notice being given to the party lodging the caveat.

Around 4,000 flats were to be built in Sectors 52, 53, and 56 by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) for government employees as part of the 2008 UT employees’ housing scheme, which is one of the longest pending projects in the city.

On May 30, the HC had directed the UT to construct the flats within a year, following which administration had decided to move the top court citing the financial loss of nearly 2,000 crore which it will have to bear if land is given at the 2008 collector rates.

UT employees’ housing welfare society general secretary Dharamender Shastri said, “Our employees moved a caveat before the SC on July 22. We will fight for our rights till our last breath. We want to know, what was our fault? We had full faith in the judiciary and now we have got justice. Already around 100 employees have died fighting the battle with the UT administration for their houses.”

A senior official of the UT administration said, “We have already hired lawyers who are preparing the draft to move the apex court. We will be moving the court in week’s time. It is not possible for us to construct the flats within a year, considering that floating of tenders will take around two to three months. Also, giving land at the collector rates of 2008 is not feasible, as we are going to suffer a huge financial loss,” the officer added.

  • Hillary Victor
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Hillary Victor

    Hillary Victor is a Special Correspondent, with over two decades of experience in impactful, ethical, and public-interest journalism. He works in the Punjab Bureau, covering housing and urban development, transport and civil aviation, environment, science and technology, forests and wildlife, with a strong focus on governance, public policy, infrastructure, and sustainable development. His reporting reflects a deep understanding of Punjab's socio-political landscape and is driven by accuracy, accountability, and a commitment to serving the public interest. Over the course of his career, he has built a reputation for producing high-impact, exclusive stories that have shaped public discourse and prompted policy and administrative action. He has been honoured with six 'Best Journalist Awards' by the Hindustan Times management for his path-breaking reportage. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to journalism, he was also conferred the 'Best Journalist Award' by the Government of Punjab during the 2010 Republic Day celebrations.Read More