Gurdaspur man threatens to end life outside CM house

Saturday, 20/06/2015

http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

ONE OF THE PROTESTERS FIGHTING FOR POSSESSION OF PLOTS IN GOPAL NAGAR SAYS ADMN WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS DEATH

GURDASPUR: The issue of ownership of residential plots at the old ‘Chhappar’ (water tank) at the Gopal Nagar locality in Gurdaspur could soon escalate into a crisis for the state government.

There is a set of people, the purportedly real plot owners, who did not develop the plots for 30-40 years and woke up to a rude shock when members of the land mafia, allegedly partonised by an unidentified Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader, grabbed these plots by filling the site of their plots with earth, starting some time ago.

The mafia even attempted to raise a boundary wall.

On Friday, the original plot owners took out a protest march in the city covering the Post Office Chowk, the Bata Chowk and the Hanuman Chowk.

These people have also been camping at the site since May 2 in a bid to ‘save their plots’.

Besides carrying out the march, a member of the group claimed that he would self-immolate before the residence of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh soon. No date was specified. The issue has been taken note of local units of all political parties have have unanimously extended their support to the plot owners and vowed to launch a united fight.

Meanwhile, the protesting owners have claimed that if any of them did his wife, local SAD member of legislative assembly (MLA) Gurbachan Singh Babbehali and the district administration was to be held responsible.

Interestingly, deputy commissioner Abhinav Trikha had reportedly allowed the group of plot owners to start construction on their respective plots after inquiry officer Indian Administrative Officer (IAS)-under-training Shaukat Mohammad Parry submitted his report in favour of the plot owners.

However, when one of the owners started construction, they were stopped by cops who asked them to produce written orders from the deputy commissioner.

The deputy commisioner also reportedly said he would issue the final order on the matter of the disputed land within two-three days.