Bhagatan wala dump: Cong alleges ‘scam’ in land purchase, seeks action against mayor among others

AMRITSAR: The row over purchase of land for Bhagtanwala dump has revisited as the Congress leaders, led by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) secretary Dinesh Bassi, alleged ‘scam’ in the purchase deal. They have sought action against the deal negotiators, including mayor Bakshi Ram Arora.

As there was no passage for garbage-lifting machines to enter the area, the municipal corporation (MC) decided to purchase 7,825 sq yard of land adjoining the dump to pave the way.

To negotiate with land owners, Iqbal Singh and Daljit Singh, an 11-member committee, led by the mayor, was constituted in 2015.

Showing the report of a special investigation team set up by the Punjab government in December last year to look into the alleged irregularities in the deals, Bassi said that the land was to be purchased on a collector rate of ₹2,750 per sq yard, but the 11-member panel resolved to acquire the land by ₹7,000 and ₹8,100 per sq yard.

“The MC needed only 2,000 sq yard, but the negotiators decided to purchase 7,825 sq yard. Also, the committee gave ₹1.10 crore to the land owners, without the permission of government. In addition, the MC has paid ₹12 lakh annual as rent of the land, which is much higher than the market price,” said Bassi.

The report of SIT showed that the deal was finalised without the approval of the Punjab government.

It recommended action against the 11-member committee for damaging state exchequer. Bassi got copy of this report through RTI Act.

He said the then Punjab local bodies minister, Anil Joshi, had approved action against the 11-member committee but the action remained only on papers as SAD-BJP was ruling and the mayor belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“I will give the report to incumbent local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu seeking action against the panel,” he added.

Meanwhile, mayor Bakshi Ram Arora said that if anybody finds irregularities in the deal, he can get the matter probed into.

He said that they cannot impose their rates on the owners.

“The resolution passed by the 11-member committee was rejected by the government and the deputy commissioner was assigned to purchase the land. Now, registration has also been executed,” he added.

MAYOR BAKSHI RAM ARORA SAYS INQUIRY CAN BE ORDERED IF ANY IRREGULARITY IS FOUND IN THE DEAL

The municipal corporation needed only 2,000 sq yard, but the negotiators decided to purchase 7,825 sq yard.

DINESH BASSI, PPCC secretary