E-Paper
Chandigarh admn takes over 351-acre shamlat land in villages
The Chandigarh administration will be handing over the land to the municipal corporation that will be removing encroachments, if any
Following Supreme Court’s orders, the UT administration has taken over the possession of around 351 acres of shamlat land (common land) across 17 Chandigarh villages. UT will now hand over the land to the municipal corporation (MC).
Confirming the same, a senior official of the UT administration said,“Once we hand over the land, MC will be removing the encroachments, if any.”
As per the Supreme Court order in April last year, the entire land reserved for common purposes by applying pro-rata cut had to be utilised by the gram panchayat for the present and future needs of the village community. “No part of the land can be re-partitioned amongst the proprietors and such land would not be available for sale,’’ the apex court had ruled.
At present, around 200 acres of shamlat land is being encroached upon or lying in a state of neglect covered in debris and garbage resulting in unsanitary conditions. Addressing the issue, MC commissioner Anindita Mitra said, “Once we get the land, we will develop it as per the zoning plan. Infrastructure for basic facilities will be developed at common land.”
Notably, the civic body has prepared an estimate of ₹2.39 crore to fence off the shamlat land and avoid encroachment. The agenda will be tabled in the upcoming House meet, scheduled in the last week of March.
Gurpreet Singh Happy, former sarpanch of Daria, said, when the villages were brought under MC, panchayat land had already been transferred. “As far as shamlat land is concerned, it cannot be transferred to MC after the recent Punjab and Haryana high court order. If they will hand it over, we will move the court,” he said.
Shiromani Akali Dal councillor Hardeep Singh, who represents Buterla and Badheri villages, meanwhile, said, “In most villages, the people have even constructed their houses on shamlat land around three decades ago. Why did the UT administration not check this initially? I will take up the matter in the House meeting.”
