‘Another attempt to sell Himachal for personal gains’: Oppn leader Jairam Thakur slams govt nod to township near Chandigarh

The LoP claimed that while the land value as per the circle rate was estimated at around Rs 754 crore, its actual market value, owing to its proximity to Chandigarh, exceeded Rs 5,000 crore. He said that the project could pave the way for large-scale corruption. Thakur also expressed concern over the ecological impact, stating that the land and forests in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) region proposed for the township played a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, and any disturbance would harm the state’s ecosystem.

The former CM also highlighted the matter of Morni Hills’ Mahol Janot panchayat in Pachhad Assembly constituency of Sirmaur district, where 134 bighas were allegedly being prepared for allotment to builders after initially being earmarked for HIMUDA. He claimed that pressure was being exerted on panchayat representatives to issue no-objection certificates for land in Shitalpur as well.