Day after doing away with land pooling policy, Punjab govt not ready with scrapping notification
Even as the Punjab government scrapped its controversial land pooling policy, it was not ready with a notification to scrap the policy a day later on Tuesday. Sources in the government said that the officials and top leadership of AAP were all putting their heads together to stitch up the notification amid Opposition and farmers […]
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"Ardass" being performed during the "Pakka Dharna " against Land Pooling policy outside the GLADA office in Ludhiana on Friday. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)Even as the Punjab government scrapped its controversial land pooling policy, it was not ready with a notification to scrap the policy a day later on Tuesday.
Sources in the government said that the officials and top leadership of AAP were all putting their heads together to stitch up the notification amid Opposition and farmers unions demands that notification regarding scrapping of the policy should have been out.
When asked, a government official said, “It is being prepared.” All eyes are on the notification as it would throw light on what all projects would be shut down completely. For instance, the government had issued a notice for the land pooling policy for expansion of Aerotropolis residential scheme in IT City of Mohali. The government had identified land for blocks E,F,G,H,I and J of the project and offered land pooling to the landowners.
“If the entire land pooling policy is scrapped then this project would also not see expansion. The government had already frozen the Chang in Land Use (CLU) in the area since 2017. No private builder can construct any housing project in the area. It was frozen so as to allow GMADA to expand the Aerotropolis which is already facing delays due to guava orchard scam that took place in the area. Now, the Vigilance Bureau is handling the case and no development can take
place in the area. Hence, the new blocks are of utmost importance forthe state. The government is now wary of the already paddled narrative against the land pooling. Now, it remains to be seen whether the notification would mean curtains on the expansion of Aerotropolis or they would fins a way out,” a source said.
He added that in such circumstances, the notification is of utmost importance. “The way it will be worded will matter. That would have a bearing on the future projects. That is why the delay.”
An official said that the government will have to scrap the entire policy first. “If it wants to acquire land for Aerotropolis, it can
do so under the Land acquisition Act.” Sources said that the government is likely to summon a Cabinet meeting for scrapping the policy. “We had not thought about it earlier. But this is a part of the narrative now. We will see what is to be done,” a Cabinet minister told The Indian Express.
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