Land misuse charges in Punjab

Some big industrial houses in Punjab are facing flak.

The Ludhiana Electroplaters Association has alleged that in 1993, to relocate polluting units, the Punjab government had allotted 160 acres to big industrial houses and some of them were misusing that land by carving out small plots and selling them to make profit.

Speaking to Business Standard, Joginder Kumar, president of the Ludhiana Electroplaters Association, said the Punjab government allotted 160 acres of undeveloped land on December 13, 1993, to six big industrial houses of the city for setting up industrial units at a throwaway price of Rs 6.3 lakh per acre.

"This land was allotted to relocate the polluting units. But now, one of those industrial houses, Royal Industries, is breaking up the 25 acres of land allotted to it and has started carving out smaller plots and minting money instead of setting up the industrial unit. Legally, no allottee can sell the allotted land after breaking it up. From time to time, protection was given by the successive governments to these six big industrial houses at the cost of tiny and small scale industrial units.''

He also demanded that the allotment of Royal Industries be cancelled and the same land be allotted to the 250 odd small polluting units operating within the city. "Owners of those small polluting units are ready and willing to move out of the city if they are given proper land.''

The six industrial houses to whom, this land was allotted include Hero Cycles, Sri Pal Oswal Industries, Sambhav Industries, Avon Cycles, Ritesh Industries and Royal Industries.

Kumar added that it had been brought to their notice that one of those six industrial units had connected the sewerage connection with the sewerage in Phase 7.

"That sewerage pipe is just 8 inches and cannot absorb the sewerage of a big unit and as a result of which, the sewerage in Phase 7 overflows. The unit was supposed to lay its own sewerage and connect with the sewerage of Phase 8 only.''

Chander Parkash Sabharwal, secretary of the Ludhiana Electroplaters Association, said the 10 acres of land, which was lying vacant between Phase 7 and Phase 8, should be allotted to the association for the relocation of electroplating units from residential areas.

"We are also planning to file a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to seek land for these units," he said

"We also want a CBI inquiry in the allotment of that land," he said.