Kharar SDM sets aside mutation orders,villagers made landowners again

In a major reprieve to local villagers,over 600 acres of prime land located in the periphery of Chandigarh was freed from the clutches of alleged land sharks,who had recently procured the ownership rights of the land worth over Rs 1,000 crore in an arbitrary manner.

In a major reprieve to local villagers,over 600 acres of prime land located in the periphery of Chandigarh was freed from the clutches of alleged land sharks,who had recently procured the ownership rights of the land worth over Rs 1,000 crore in an arbitrary manner.

Kharar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM)-cum-Collector Rajiv Kumar Gupta on Friday set aside the order of Majri Naib Tehsildar-cum-Assistant Collector (Grade-II) Rupinder Manku to transfer the mutations (girdawaris) of the disputed land in the Shivalik foothills spread across Majrian village in favour of 11 influential persons. Accepting a bunch of 11 appeals filed by a group of around 35 aggrieved residents of Majrian,Gurha,Kasauli,Bhagindi and Karaundiwala villages against the transfer of mutations,Gupta ordered to restore with immediate effect the original position of the land,which has been cultivated and possessed by local villagers since decades.

Now,these persons can file an appeal against the SDMs order before the deputy commissioner. Confirming the development,the SDM told Newsline that following the order,the ownership rights of local villagers have been restored and 11 persons,who were made owners recently,were rendered illegal occupants of the disputed land as their ownership rights have been cancelled.

Manku had ordered to transfer the mutations of the disputed land in favour of 11 influential persons by rejecting the claims of hundreds of local villagers on April 1 and 5.

Soon after getting the ownership rights,the new landowners allegedly started making blatant changes in the use of land,which was locked under various Forest Acts,by cutting trees,dismantling hillocks and carving out roads,which are prohibited under the law.

Aggrieved against what they alleged as an arbitrary and ex-parte decision to snatch their land,the villagers had last month filed appeals against the changes made in the revenue record. Contending that neither the assistant collector visited them nor called them,which is mandatory in such cases,the aggrieved villagers complained of not being given a hearing. Though Gupta had ordered interim injunction while admitting the appeals,the new owners continued to change the land use,the villagers claimed.

As the alleged illegal activity continued despite the local police registering three separate cases,the villagers took up the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and even laid siege at the deputy commissioners office in Mohali on May 17.

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With local Congress MP and Punjab Youth Congress president Ravneet Singh Bittoo coming out in support of the villagers,the issue had snowballed into a major controversy putting the present SAD-BJP regime in a tight spot.

PUBLIC VICTORY

Terming it a public victory,local Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittoo said people need to be more aware,vigilant and united to protect their rights. Politicians also need to come out of the clutches of land sharks in larger public interest, he said.

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Kharar SDM sets aside mutation orders,villagers made landowners again

In a major reprieve to local villagers,over 600 acres of prime land located in the periphery of Chandigarh was freed from the clutches of alleged land sharks,who had recently procured the ownership rights of the land worth over Rs 1,000 crore in an arbitrary manner.

In a major reprieve to local villagers,over 600 acres of prime land located in the periphery of Chandigarh was freed from the clutches of alleged land sharks,who had recently procured the ownership rights of the land worth over Rs 1,000 crore in an arbitrary manner.