Mohali: Mandi board asks PHC to vacate warehouse, seeks pending rent

The Mandi Board has requested Punjab Health Commission (PHC) to clear pending rent of over ₹9.72 crore for using the warehouse located in Mohali’s Phase-11 Mandi Complex from 2021 till date

Chairman of Punjab State Agriculture Marketing Board has asked Punjab Health Commission (PHC) to vacate a warehouse in Phase-11 Mandi Complex given on rent to the commission during the pandemic for storing medicines.

These medicines, mostly including Covid kits or medicines, were earlier stored at Kisan Bhawan, Chandigarh, but were later shifted to Mohali due to renovation work there. (HT Photo)

The Mandi Board has also requested PHC to clear pending rent of over ₹9.72 crore for using the warehouse located in the said air-conditioned Mandi from 2021 till date.

These medicines, mostly including Covid kits or medicines, were earlier stored at Kisan Bhawan, Chandigarh, but were later shifted to Mohali due to renovation work there.

Notably, most of the pharmaceutical stock was found expired at the warehouse.

The board now wants to auction and sell the warehouses and shops for generating income.

“We have requested the PHC to pay the pending rent and vacate the warehouse as we have sold over seven shops six months agp and now want to auction other fruit and vegetable shops in the mandi too for better operations. I have personally requested state health minister Dr Balbir Singh to get the warehouse vacated for our further use and to clear the pending rent amount,” said chairman of the Mandi Board Harchand Singh Barsat.

He added that though the mandi is currently for selling fruits and vegetables, the board is also eyeing to start flower shops to start flower-trade.

“The said mandi was constructed in 2014 on a 12-acre piece of land at the cost of ₹50 crore. At present, the construction would have cost around ₹200 crore as it is an air-conditioned market and was made as per international standards. Unfortunately, this complex remained inoperational till 2023 as no one paid attention to it, wasting government’s property and money. After I joined here as chairman, a few shops were auctioned after the tendering process and now the mandi is operational,” the chairman added.

The board also held meetings with arhtis (commission agents) of Chandigarh’s Sector 26 Grain Market, Kharar, and Mohali, motivating them to start trade at the Phase-11 mandi complex.

Another board officer, on the condition of anonymity, said arhtis wanted to increase the years of instalment for shops for over 30 years. “Many of the conditions of the commission agents were not acceptable as they wanted us to sell the shops at less prices and increase the time period for instalments to 30 years. We will again conduct another auction soon but only at profit,” said an officer.