E-Paper
Punjab govt land to be auctioned to provide compensation amount to Sangrur farmer
The office of Moonak SDM, and official residence of Sangrur DC are located on the two chunks of land set to go under hammer
Two chunks of government land, on which the office of Moonak sub-divisional magistrate and official residence of Sangrur deputy commissioner are located, will be auctioned off on Friday to provide compensation to a farmer whose land was acquired in 2006.
The two properties had been attached by the court in 2018 to recover the compensation money awarded by the court. It has been learnt that a munadi (public announcement) of the auction was made on January 3.
The Punjab government had moved an application in the Punjab and Haryana high court in December to get a stay on the case which was denied by the court on January 8.
Notably, the Punjab government had acquired 592 acres in 2006 for the widening of the Ghaggar river passing through the Sangrur district. A local farmer, Amanpreet Singh, whose land was also acquired, had challenged the government compensation of ₹6 lakh per acre, stating that it was less compared to the market value.
After his application was rejected in the lower court, Amanpreet moved the high court.
After a decade-long battle, the HC awarded him a compensation of ₹15. 95 lakh per acre.
In the meanwhile, the plaintiff moved the court of additional district and session judge for revision of the compensation amount to ₹39.50 lakh, after including statutory benefits and interest. However, despite several orders, the government failed to award the compensation.
Last month, the additional district judge, Sangrur, ordered the sale of government property to recover the compensation amount.
Amanpreet Singh, the farmer, said, “It has been almost seven years since the Punjab and Haryana HC ordered to pay revised compensation.”
Advocates Abhay Josan and Karan Nehra, counsel for the farmer, said, “Despite repeated court orders to pay the farmer, the government isn’t implementing the order. Now, the court has directed the government to hold an auction of government land.”
