Punjab govt’s amnesty policy: No clearance to illegal colonies with ‘plots sold’

Finding the issue complicated, Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh constituted a sub-committee led by health minister Brahm Mohindra with cabinet ministers Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manpreet Singh Badal, Charanjit Singh Channi and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, to give a report on the issue.

Wary of unscrupulous builders and colonisers getting backdoor approvals for their vacant plots under the state government’s amnesty policy for illegal colonies, after showing these as ‘plots sold’, the housing and urban development department has decided not to give clearance.

Sources said under the amnesty scheme that the previous Akali-BJP regime offered on three occasions, thousands of such colonies got clearances. (HT File/Representative image)

The modus operandi of such colonisers goes like this.

Loopholes in the scheme

Revealing the back-door method adopted by the colonisers to take advantage of amnesty offer of the government, an officer said, colonisers who already owns chunks of land, charge Rs 100 per plot from buyers (and rest later) and show these plots as sold.

“On the basis of a meagre booking amount, they show plots as sold. Then, taking the plea that they can’t go back on promises made to applicants, such builders seek government clearance to a colony which does not follow norms,” the officer added.

Recently, in a random check by PUDA chief administrator and the director, local bodies, many such colonies were found in just the Zirakpur area. All had been granted clearance during the SAD-BJP regime

“On the basis of a meagre booking amount, they show plots as sold. Then, taking the plea that they can’t go back on promises made to applicants, such builders seek government clearance to a colony which does not follow norms,” said an officer.

The issue has been discussed in two cabinet meetings – on Wednesday and last week — where the department had flagged the issue. Finding the issue complicated, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh constituted a sub-committee led by health minister Brahm Mohindra with cabinet ministers Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manpreet Singh Badal, Charanjit Singh Channi and Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa as members, to give a report on the issue in a month. A policy on the issue would be flagged accordingly.

Thousands of colonies got clearance in SAD-BJP regime

Sources said under the amnesty scheme that the previous Akali-BJP regime offered on three occasions, thousands of such colonies got clearances.

“We can’t get the exact number of such colonies, because a lot of time has passed and development has been carried out on the plots. Also, the government cannot withdraw clearances once given,” said Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) Ravi Bhagat.

As per a survey conducted during the previous government, there were 10,154 illegal colonies, of which 6,600 came forward for clearances and 935 were granted, mopping up at least Rs 800 crore. The revenues were generated by charging external development charges and some penalties to give clearances.

The present government also hopes to generate good revenue in the amnesty policy to the illegal colonies. “We would give leverage to already built-up (illegal) colonies and not the colonies shown as plots sold,” Bhagat told HT, adding that illegal colonies fell under the jurisdiction of both the local bodies and the housing department.

During the previous two meetings, the council of ministers was divided on why a coloniser who followed all norms and keep 45% open area was treated on a par with an illegal developer, who left only 15% open space.