Hindustan
Times: Jalandhar: Sunday, June 19, 2016.
Land sharks
backed by Akali leaders raked in the moolah by purchasing notified land from
the farmers at throwaway prices and then getting huge compensation from the
government for the land acquired for the Jalandhar-Chintpurni national highway.
According to
official documents procured by activist Rajiv Vashisht under the Right to
Information (RTI) Act, the land sharks earned more than Rs 50 crore at
Piplanwala village situated on the outskirts of Hoshiarpur. Documents reveal
that 14.75 acres worth Rs 86 crore was acquired at Piplanwala village on the
Hoshiapur-Jalandhar road of which around Rs 77 crore went to land sharks and
Akali leaders, who purchased the notified land from the needy farmers. A total
of 103 acres was to be acquired for Rs 286 crore in Hoshiarpur district for the
project.
“The land
acquired at Piplanwala was not a prime land and far from the national highway.
But even then, the landowners got Rs 5.77 crore per acre as compensation on an
average. Those owning the land along the highway, where the rates are high, got
a compensation of Rs 2.77 crore per acre. Isn’t it a scam?” questioned RTI
activist Vashisht.
Akali
councillor, kin got richer
Akali
councillor and realtor Harpinder Singh Gill got a compensation of around Rs 31
crore for the 442 marla barren land in the village which he purchased 10 days
before the acquisition. Documents reveal that the land was shown as a
residential colony.
Gill’s family
members, including his son, mother, wife, brother, sister-in-law and niece, got
a compensation of `5 crore for another piece of land as they were shown owners
of the property.
Gill,
cooperative bank chairman Satwinder Pal Singh Dhatt and Hoshiarpur market
committee chairman Avtar Singh Johal are among the Akali leaders who got the
land registered in their names to get compensation running into crores.
Records
available with the RTI activist reveal that higher compensation was given to
Akali leaders and land sharks in villages under the Naloian revenue circle and
Singdiwala.
Market
committee chairman Johal was given a compensation of Rs 3.24 crore for 25
marlas of land at Singdiwala village, situated on the outskirts of Hoshiapur,
whereas a farmer of Piplanwala village got a meagre compensation of Rs 35,000
per marla for his agriculture land situated on the main road.
“As we were
not getting full compensation for our land, patwari Parminder Singh conveyed
through a friend that if we want to get handsome amount for the land for which
we were yet to be paid, we should sell it to them (land sharks),” said a
farmer, wishing not to be named.
DC orders
inquiry
Hoshiarpur
deputy commissioner Anindita Mitra has ordered a probe into the land
acquisition at Piplanwala village where a land was shown as a residential
colony to get higher compensation. “I have read some reports in newspapers.
Though I am not involved in the acquisition, but as a DC, I have decided to
probe the matter. I will personally visit the sites,” she added.
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