53. Donating common land Shamlet deh

Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulations) Rules, 1964 The latest amendment to the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulations) Rules, 1964 made by the state govt. allowing a provision for ‘donating’ common land (Shamlet deh) owned by Panchayats to other departments to carry out commercial operations, free of cost smacks of deep rooted conspiracy hatched by the SAD-BJP govt. to squander people’s assets with ulterior motives.

Earlier if any such Panchayat land was to be given for a public cause such as construction of power grid or food grain yards, the price of such common land was fixed by a committee and approval given by the state govt. Congress party has a hunch that this illegitimate amendment to common lands has purposely been made to benefit mega companies like the DLF and Omaxe, through the industries department to set up commercial ventures such as one golf course planned by DLF in and around very costly land of V. Mullanpur, notice of which was taken suo moto by the High Court and the transfer of Panchayat land was stayed.

This amendment is nothing but a ploy to hoodwink the High Court and proceed with its agenda of benefitting corporate houses such as the DLF. Congress apprehends that in case the SAD-BJP govt. went ahead with the implementation of this amendment without any safeguards, almost all Panchayats would become landless within a few years.

In any case why Panchayat land should even be handed over to Punjab State Transmission Corporation, Mandi Board and other commercial organizations free of cost when these departments charge consumers for all their operations? Congress party urges the state govt. to immediately withdraw this amendment made to the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulations) Rules, 1964 so that Panchayat lands across the state could be protected for usage of our future generations.

Congress also urges the govt. to clarify and assure that this amendment would not be misused to pass on Panchayat lands to private builders such as DLF and Omaxe to develop golf courses as was planned by industries department in the garb of mega project to give away hundreds of acres of prime land to DLF around Mullanpur villages.