Saketri land row: Haryana to form panel

The Haryana government plans to constitute a high-powered committee to “reconsider” the objections raised by landowners to the acquisition of around 200 acres of land in village Saketri,Panchkula. The development assumes significance since the acquisition,initiated by Haryana for development of residential sectors in Saketri,continues to remain stayed since 2000. It was in 2000 that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the acquisition after members of the societies had moved the High Court challenging the acquisition.

As demanded by the petitioners in a bunch of 35 cases,the Haryana government today apprised the Court that a high-powered committee will be constituted to “reconsider” the landowners’ objections. Recording the statement,a division bench comprising Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Augustine George Masih today disposed of the bunch of 35 petitions. After the counsel for Haryana submitted that there is no objection to constituting the committee,the High Court directed the state to constitute the panel within 15 days. The Bench has directed the petitioners to appear before the Committee to redress their grievance on October 12. The petitioners have been given the liberty to approach the Court in case they are not satisfied with the decision of the panel.

The Status quo over the acquisition will continue till then. The matter relates to the area of Saketri whereby a number of cooperative Societies were formed in 1990 with thousands of members. Appearing on behalf of the petitioners,Senior Advocate Chetan Mittal had contended that these Societies were formed in view of the public notice given by the Haryana Housing Board (HHB) in 1990,whereby offers were invited for developing housing colonies at various places,including Panchkula.

The petitioners relied on various correspondence from 1992 to 1996,whereby the HHB has accorded approval subject to clearance by the District Town and Country Planning (DTCP) ,Haryana. But due to DTCP objections,the final nod for these societies could not be granted. Finally on March 16,1999,a notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act was issued in respect of total land of 952.14 acres and after the issuance of notification under Section 6,the petitioners approached the High Court. A year later,in 2000,the HC stayed the acquisition.