Cong sees red as govt puts prime Ludhiana land on sale
Friday, 05/09/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140905/punjab.htm#5
Chandigarh :The state government is in the process of selling about 32 acres of prime land owned by Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) in Ludhiana for setting up an entertainment hub, named Down Town, consisting of malls, multiplexes etc. While there is no dearth of such facilities in Ludhiana, land owned by the government is on the decline and so is the highly polluted city’s green cover.
The government had earlier sold land of the old district complex which led to axing of 1,600 trees. It had also tried to dispose of prime property of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), but the deal could not materialise. The 32 acre land, which is on the block, is situated opposite the PAU land and houses a PSPCL office, a guesthouse and a residential colony.
Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Khaira and city-based environmentalist Jatinder Moudgill today alleged the government was in a hurry to sell the land. They warned Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal against creating a concrete jungle in the city at the cost of its green cover. Khaira said Sukhbir was hell bent on selling precious government properties. “Sukhbir is going overboard with private commercial ventures as if the entire state is his personal property,” he alleged.
Showing documents, he said the market value of the property was more than Rs 3,000 crore. Besides, there were a large number of full grown trees on the land which might be axed, he said.
They said the government came up with argument that 80 per cent of the proceeds generated from the commercial Down Town project would be utilised for financing Mukerian power project. However, all private sector thermal plants vigorously pushed by Sukhbir were in “jeopardy”.
