Minister orders probe in multi-crore land scam in Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab

Move comes after ADC wrote a letter, pointing out that mafia usurped govt land worth several crores in collusion with officials

Punjab rural development and panchyats minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa has set up a high-powered committee to probe a multi-crore land scam in the Steel City of Mandi Gobindgarh and adjoining areas in Amloh subdivision.

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The move comes in response to a demi-official letter by Fatehgarh Sahib additional deputy commissioner (ADC-development) Jagwinderjit Singh Sandhu to the minister wherein he pointed out that land mafia has usurped government land worth several crores in collusion with rural development officials.

The minister on Tuesday formed a five-member committee under the director, rural development. The other members of the panel are deputy director, rural development, Fatehgarh ADC (development), district development and panchayat officer (DDPO) and a law officer.

PANEL TO FILE REPORT WITHIN A MONTH

Terming it a serious matter, the minister has asked the committee to file its report within a month.

In his letter, Sandhu said that on some of the prime lands, steel factories have been set up even as their illegal land leases were cancelled by the collector.

He has attached a list of such lands, measuring over 50 acres, grabbed by the mafia.

The ADC (D) claimed that he tried to investigate into the matter but rural development officials of Almoh did not cooperate. “As land worth several crores was grabbed by mafia in active connivance of officials of the department, a high level probe is required,” Sandhu said in his letter, while giving names of five villages, where prime land is grabbed by mafia.

Sandhu said, “Due to large-scale industrialisation here, the value of land is in crores of rupee per acre, depending upon location. Most of villages adjoining Mandi Gobindgarh fall in Amloh. And mafia in a planned manner targeted the prime panchyat and rural development land for common use and usurped it and later sold to industrialists”.

He added, “In many cases, officials give panchyat land on lease for agriculture or other purpose for a limited period, however, industry is established (there). Later, when industry starts operating, a notice is being served by the department, upon which industrialists take court stay, after which employees never bother to vacate the land which is used for private purposes, without paying even revenue to the department”.

As per the Punjab Common Village Land Regulations-1964, “All land vested in Panchayat may be leased out by auction or on such term and conditions, or may be agreed upon between the parties up to a period of 33 years for industrial, commercial, educational or professional purposes with a prior approval of government”.

‘BDPOs LEASING LAND WITHOUT HAVING POWERS’

However, this rule is not followed in Amloh, Sandhu said and added that BDPOs posted in past one decade leased land to industrial houses, whereas the power was with the state government. The BDPOs did not inform the higher officials even as they are required to report every month on action taken against land mafia grabbing the panchayat lands, he added.

“I have written 11 officials letters to Amloh BDPO in the last one year about this scam, but he didn’t reply,” he said while alleging that most of such officials are having patronage from politicians, thus no one dares to act against them.

The ADC pointed out that in Salana village, an iron factory is established over 15 acres, where the lease was cancelled by the collector in 2014. In Salani village, 20 acres of land was grabbed and an industry set up even as the lease was given for only seven acres for a limited period. Similarly, 15-acre land was leased in Balonga Khurd by the panchyat, whereas no such power is vested with it, he said.

In Machari Kalan, a pipe factory is working without having any approval, while 15-acre land is being used by an industry in Jalalpur, even as its lease was cancelled by the collector in 2014. “It’s tip of the iceberg, there are many more such incidents,” he added.

Sandhu claimed that after his intervention, many officials are lodging false complaints to demoralise him and thwart his efforts to unearth the scam.