Despite HC orders,construction on at Kaimbwala

Similarly,another structure is being constructed right next to the main road of the village. Residents of the village say that reportedly the upcoming structure is a garbage collection centre being built by the UT Administration.

As per the map prepared by the Survey of India,the entire area of Kaimbwala (in Chandigarh),Kansal (in Punjab) and parts of Khuda Ali Sher,also in Chandigarh,are part of Sukhna catchment area where construction activity is prohibited as per the orders of the High Court.

Interestingly,even part of the High Court premises,Saketri temple,Madhavpur colony in Panchkula are also part of the Sukhna catchment area.

When contacted,UT finance-cum-education secretary V K Singh said,“I am not aware of the matter. Since you have brought it to my notice,I will have to check it from my office. Only then will I be able to comment.”

Taking the same line,UT land acquisition officer Tilak Raj said,“I will be able to comment on the matter only after checking the facts.”

Following the court directions,there was ambiguity over the exact areas falling in Sukhna catchment area. To clarify the matter,the UT Administration had recently for the first time publicised the map of the Sukhna catchment area as has been prepared by the Survey of India.

Interestingly,an area measuring five acres was acquired for constructing a sports complex-cum-stadium in the heart of the village. Although the land was acquired a few years ago,so far only a boundary wall exists. The acquired land is right next to the land falling in Punjab where Tata Camelot Housing Project is to come up.

Since the catchment area is spread between Punjab,Chandigarh and parts of Haryana on the basis of the map prepared by the Survey of India,the High Court had issued directions to the UT Administration and Punjab government to put their enforcement agencies in action to take stock of the situation.

Further,to ensure that no fresh constructions come up in the area in Khuda Ali Sher and Kaimbwala,the land acquisition office of the UT has got videography done of the entire area,taking on record each and every construction to date. Officials say that many times,the residents construct buildings overnight and claim that these are not new and have just been repainted. To overcome this,all the structures were videotaped for easy identification of any new construction.