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Shamlat land meant for gaushala being exploited for commercial gains: Punjab to HC
Former Congress minister Balbir Singh Sidhu’s Bal Gopal Gau Basera Welfare Society is running a gaushala on 10 acres of shamlat land in Balongi
The shamlat land in Balongi, meant for a gaushala only, is being exploited for commercial gains by a Mohali society, headed by former health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, the Punjab government has told the Punjab and Haryana high court.
The response came on the plea by Bal Gopal Gau Basera Welfare Society that had approached the high court earlier this month, challenging the local administration’s lease cancellation decision of July 9. High court had stayed the lease cancellation earlier this month.
The gaushala is being run on 10 acres in Balongi by former Congress cabinet minister Balbir Singh Sidhu’s trust.
Earlier this month, high drama was witnessed at the site after panchayat officials allegedly reached the site with heavy police force to take possession of the land. However, the society prevented it.
The society has been running the gaushala on the land through a 33-year lease signed with the Punjab government during Congress’ regime on October 7, 2020. The shamlat land, belonging to the Balongi gram panchayat, was leased at the annual rate of ₹25,000 per acre.
The administration has defended its move to cancel the lease, stating that it was rightly cancelled over non-payment of the requisite amount by the society. It further added that the government was not even required to give prior notice as per the lease agreement.
The government’s affidavit, submitted by Gurpreet Singh Khaira, director, department of rural development and panchayats, Punjab, said the district-level committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner (development), Mohali, had inspected the land and submitted a fact-finding report in which it was found that serious irregularities had been committed by the society.
The society had passed a resolution to raise banquet halls, temple and a diagnostic centre on shamlat land, which can’t be used for any other purpose other than a gaushala, it said.
The intention of the society was to exploit the land commercially, which was not permitted as per the agreement, which also states that if the lease terms are breached, it will stand cancelled even without prior notice, the government’s reply added.
It further claimed that Sidhu inaugurated a press club at the land meant for a guashala, even as it could not have been given to a third party as per the agreement. It further asserted that the lease ought to be cancelled, as the petitioner was exploiting land leased on charitable rates for commercial gains.
It argued that 10 such short-term leases and 42 long-term leases given to various societies had been cancelled by the department across the state. Also, 14 more cases were being probed, it added.
