Latest news with #ChangeofLandUse
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Withdraw land pooling plan or face agitation Sukhbir warns AAP
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday launched an attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, warning it to immediately withdraw the controversial notification to acquire 24,000 acres of land around Ludhiana or face a state-wide agitation. Leading a protest outside the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) office under the banner of 'Jang Punjab Bachaun Di', Badal addressed a large gathering of SAD workers and farmers. He vowed that 'not even an inch' of fertile farmland would be allowed to be acquired. Accusing the AAP government of planning a land grab under the guise of development, Badal alleged that the scheme was designed to generate revenue by displacing small farmers. 'CLU (Change of Land Use) certificates are being sold at ₹1 crore per acre to exempt influential plots. This is nothing but a scam,' he said. Badal further promised that if SAD returns to power in 2027, it will enforce policies that protect Punjabi interests, including reserving all government jobs for local residents and banning land purchases by outsiders. 'Punjab is for Punjabis only,' he said. Farmer leader Sukhpal Singh, present at the protest, expressed gratitude to the SAD for backing farmers. He said the proposed land pooling scheme would trap landowners in long-term financial uncertainty, as the region lacks necessary infrastructure for development. SAD youth leader Jaskaran Singh Ayali Kalan also criticised the policy, calling it coercive. 'The notification clearly allows the government to acquire land from those unwilling to join the pooling scheme. AAP's claim that the scheme is voluntary is misleading,' he said. Veteran leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundar and Ranjit Singh Dhillon urged Punjabis to stand united against what they called a 'land grab.' Dhillon likened the current scenario to the 'Ludhiana City Scam' and vowed a prolonged agitation if the scheme isn't scrapped. Meanwhile, cabinet minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond dismissed Badal's allegations, accusing the SAD chief of spreading misinformation. Sond claimed the land pooling scheme is voluntary and accused Badal of having ties to illegal land deals during his tenure.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Mohali: GMADA bulldozers get rolling in Jhampur village, Sector 122
Launching a crackdown on illegal colonies, the enforcement team of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) carried out a demolition drive in Jhampur village and 39 West housing society in Sector 122 on Friday, razing around 30 illegal structures. The action came days after HT reported on May 19 how nearly 15 illegal colonies had mushroomed in Mohali right under the nose of GMADA despite the Punjab government's repeated claims of clampdown on such settlements. In Jhampur village, around 25 under-construction houses and other illegal structures were brought down. The GMADA team, led by officer Arvind Pannu, reached the site around 11.30 am and the drive concluded by 4 pm. The drive was also conducted in Phase 3 of the 39 West society, located in Sector 122, Mohali. According to members of the Residents' Welfare Association (RWA), certain colonisers were attempting to illegally extend the colony by carving out additional plots beyond the approved site boundaries, despite the cancellation of their licence. These colonisers had also connected the new plots to water, sewerage and electricity connections from the existing infrastructure. GMADA officials dismantled around seven such structures on Friday. Hirdesh Madan, secretary of the Residents' Welfare Association, 39 West housing society, said, 'We had raised this issue with GMADA several times in the past. We welcome this action against the illegal construction by the builder.' Harinder Pal Singh, district town planner (Regulatory), GMADA, said the demolition drive will continue to remove other illegal settlements. HT had earlier reported that these unauthorised colonies—spread across nearly 50 acres in Sectors 120 to 123 and covering villages such as Daun, Raipur, Behlolpur, Barmajra, Tarauli, and Jhampur—had been carved out of agricultural land without following the mandatory Change of Land Use (CLU) process, which requires significant fees and official permissions. Property dealers have bought fertile agricultural land and divided it into plots ranging from 100 to 150 square yards, selling them to home hopefuls. Following the HT report, the GMADA chief administrator directed the officers concerned to submit a report within two days, after which appropriate action will be taken against the officials responsible. According to a senior GMADA officer, the responsibility did not lie solely with GMADA but also with the district administration. 'Why is land being registered without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from GMADA and why is PSPCL installing power meters in these illegal colonies?' the officer questioned. In August last year, while scrapping the requirement of a no-objection certificate (NOC) for registration of land and property, the Punjab housing and urban development department had directed the chief administrators of regional development authorities across the state to ensure that no illegal colonies are allowed to come up. The authorities were further directed to utilise recent Google satellite imagery to identify illegal constructions and initiate prompt legal action against violators.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: SAD chief accuses AAP of multi-crore land scam, protest on May 31
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of orchestrating a multi-hundred crore scam by allowing landowners to secure backdated Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions. He alleged the move was designed to exempt certain landowners from upcoming land acquisitions in villages surrounding Ludhiana. Addressing a press conference, Badal claimed that the AAP government planned to acquire 24,311 acres of land despite failing to provide even basic infrastructure. He alleged that landowners were being asked to pay ₹1 crore per acre to avoid acquisition, calling it 'daylight robbery' and accusing the government of monetising exemptions for political gain. 'This scam is not limited to Ludhiana. It's also happening in Mohali, where acquisition notices have been issued even though the government hasn't developed 6,000 acres acquired earlier,' he said. Badal warned government officials against participating in what he described as illegal activities, cautioning, 'Due action will be taken against officers who obey such unlawful orders.' The SAD president announced a massive protest on May 31 outside the office of the chief administrator, GLADA, to oppose forced land acquisition and demand farmer consent. He also took a swipe at chief minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging he had surrendered his powers to Delhi leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, effectively handing over Punjab's governance to Arvind Kejriwal's team. The SAD chief also slammed the recent appointments of 'outsiders' to key state boards, calling them part of a broader plan to *extort money from Punjab's businessmen. On the possibility of a future alliance with BJP, Badal said, 'We are open to alliance with any party that works in the interest of Punjab.'
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
GMADA orders inquiry into 15 illegal colonies
The chief administrator of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), Vishesh Sarangal, has ordered an inquiry into 15 illegal colonies that have come up in areas under GMADA's jurisdiction in Mohali over the past eight months. On May 19, HT had highlighted how, despite the Punjab government's repeated claims of cracking down on unauthorised colonies, nearly 15 illegal colonies have mushroomed in Mohali. The chief administrator has directed additional chief administrator Amarinder Singh to submit a report within two days, following which action will be taken against the officials concerned. These colonies — spread across nearly 50 acres in Sectors 120 to 123, covering villages such as Daun, Raipur, Behlolpur, Barmajra, Tarauli and Jhampur — have been carved out of agricultural land, bypassing the mandatory Change of Land Use (CLU) process, which entails hefty fees and government permissions. Property dealers have purchased fertile agricultural land and subdivided it into plots ranging from 100 to 150 square yards and are selling them to unsuspecting homebuyers. While GMADA is known to enforce regulations strictly in urban sectors, it appears to have turned a blind eye in these rural pockets, allowing homeownership dreams to be built on shaky legal ground. A senior GMADA officer said, that the fault does not lie with GMADA alone, but also with the district administration, questioning why land is being registered without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from GMADA, and why PSPCL is installing power meters in these illegal colonies. In August last year, while scrapping the requirement for an NOC for land and property registration, the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department had instructed chief administrators of all regional development authorities to ensure that no illegal colonies are allowed to develop. Authorities were also directed to use recent Google satellite imagery to identify illegal constructions and initiate prompt legal action against violators. In a policy shift, the Punjab government had also announced a one-time exemption from the NOC requirement for property owners who could prove the authenticity of their sale deeds executed before July 31, 2024.
Hans India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Akali Dal chief congratulates armed forces for foiling Pak drone attacks
Ludhiana: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday congratulated the armed forces for foiling drone attacks from Pakistan and saving Punjab from destruction. "I have earlier also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian army for resolutely blocking the drone attacks on Punjab. This stout defence has saved Punjab from destruction as the state bore the brunt of drone attacks," Badal told the media here. He blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for initiating a multi-crore "scam" to illegally "loot" hundreds of crores of rupees from land owners by allowing Change of Land Use (CLU) in backdate to exempt land holdings from acquisition in villages in the vicinity of the city. The SAD president said, "At a time when the government is not able to provide even basic facilities, it has decided to acquire 24,311 acres in villages adjacent to Ludhiana. Since land owners will not be able to sell the land once the land acquisition notice is issued, a scam has been initiated to exempt all those who pay Rs 1 crore per acre in AAP coffers." "This scam is ongoing in other cities also, including Mohali, where the AAP government has issued acquisition notices despite its inability to develop 6,000 acres of land acquired earlier," he said. Asserting that never before in the state's history of the state such a thing happened, Badal said, "We will not allow this daylight robbery to succeed at any cost. We will not allow any land to be acquired without taking the consent of farmers." He announced the party would stage a protest outside the office of the Chief Administrator of GLADA on May 31. He also warned officers not to become collaborators in this "scam", saying "due action will also be taken against you if you obey illegal orders in this regard". Badal also detailed how Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had "surrendered" all his powers and allowed AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain to "take over" governance of Punjab. He said this "complete surrender" had allowed the AAP Delhi leadership to "plunder" Punjab. He also cited the recent appointments of outsiders and Kejriwal team members as Chairmen of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and the Punjab Large Investment Development Board to "extort" money from businessmen.
