Owners of buildings rented to Reliance seek CM’s help

Reliance has around 275 stores in Punjab, all of which are closed for the past eight months, with farmers laying seize to the properties by sitting outside in tents

Chandigarh Building owners, who have rented out their premises to Reliance Industries across Punjab, submitted a memorandum to Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday, through his Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Sandeep Singh Brar, requesting his intervention to ensure the stores can open. Reliance has around 275 stores in Punjab, all of which are closed for the past eight months, with farmers laying seize to the properties.

Store owners say they support the farmers, but blocking the stores of Reliance was only resulting in losses to all stakeholders. (HT FILE)

“We are in a deep financial crisis and moving towards bankruptcy, as there has been no rental income from our properties for the past 7-8 months, because all Reliance Retail outlets have been forcibly closed by agitating farmers. Farmers have even set up tents outside our stores,” the memorandum says.

It adds, “We are all Punjabis and fully support farmers, but such forced closure of Reliance stores is only harming Punjab as Reliance procures a lot of products locally, provides huge direct and indirect employment to Punjabis and pays huge taxes. No corporation would be interested to invest in the state if they are not allowed to operate peacefully,” said Dharampal Singh Nain from Jagraon.

OSD Brar assured the building owners that all possible support would be extended and the matter would be taken up with the CM.