Code Infringement By Panchayat Section

Breaching the poll code of conduct, functionaries of the Rural Development and Panchayats Department today forwarded ads for selling 863 acres of common village land at an auction in various parts of Sanaur block in the region.

The land is approximated approximately Rs 300 crore.

While the ad was forwarded on May 10, another wrongdoing on the part of the functionaries was the public sale was fixed for May 11.

Sources added that the said move to call the auction in haste may be aimed at allegedly benefiting certain favorites. For, not many bidders were likely to turn up at such short notice.

The advertisement, issued in a vernacular daily, read that the land in Sassa Gujran and Mardaherhi villages would be auctioned on May 11, though the department has given some gap for a similar auction in Churaso, Jafarpur and Maddo Majra villages (on May 13).

Officials in the Rural Development and Panchayats Department said the prime common land in the five villages was up for auction despite the poll code of conduct being in force in Punjab ahead of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections.

Regulations hint the auction of village common land over 100 acres needs in print consent from the zila parishad linked (presently polls are being held to choose the body in Sanaur) with its complete assemblage. But in the present case, the regulations have been disregarded.

But, Vinod Gagat, District Development and Panchayat Officer maintained “nothing incorrect was being done and no code was violated”.

Another administrative representative, however, stated that the public sale was being intentionally held at such a time to keep authentic bidders out of the contest and to make sure the families of the local sarpanches who were hesitant of their triumph this time were benefit.

Probes by media people detected that the land under consideration was valued around Rs 300 crore, though it could have brought in extra had the bidding been proposed appropriately.

A number of villagers are also against the public sale. They have asked for a stay on the procedure and an investigataion against the blameworthy. They even went to the extent of charging the head connected (who is from Patiala region) of “going soft on the functionaries “.

When med, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra agreed that the functionaries were wrong in holding a public sale at short span of 2-3 days.

“I will look into the matter and accordingly fix responsibility,” he added.