Govt notice to SAD leader Birmi’s flying academy to vacate land
Tuesday, 19/01/2016
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PATIALA: Over a year after the Punjab and Haryana high court allowed the state government to regain possession of hangar number 2 leased to Birmi Flying Academy at Patiala Aviation Club here, the state government has served a notice to the academy to vacate the land by January 30.
The flying academy, owned by former Ludhiana MLA and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Malkit Singh Birmi and his son, Hardeep Singh Birmi, is using the said land to park aircraft, even as the academy has been lying closed for years.
Confirming the development, Punjab civil aviation principal secretary Vishwajeet Khanna said after the HC order in October 2014, they had been following the due legal process and contacting the advocate general’s office for clarifications, before sending the notice.
Through the notice, the government has also told the academy to clear the pending rent of `73.30 lakh as of October 2014, and the subsequent rent for its aircraft and equipment lying in hangar number 2 and in the open at the aerodrome. After the deadline passes, any damage to the academy’s aircraft and equipment would be its responsibility, it added.
In its order dated October 28, 2014, the high court had ruled that despite being told to clear the rent of `44.88 lakh from 2005 till 2012, the academy kept dilly-dallying the matter on one pretext or the other, and the amount had since swollen to `73.30 lakh.
The court had observed that it was evident that the academy wanted to retain the possession of the hangar without making any payment, let alone clearing the dues in lump sum.
Consequently, the court had ruled that it was left with no alternative but to annul the stay allowed to the academy on vacating the hangar.
The high court had empowered the state government to take coercive methods for regaining possession of the land.
