Patiala, September 21: Allegedly playing into the hands of colonisers and certain officials, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) may lose prime land worth Rs 22 crore under the pretext of widening a road leading to a cluster of private housing colonies.
The clearance to transferring 11,000 square feet of land already given, the file now awaits approval by the PSPCL Board of Directors, which is the final authority.
It all began in July when a representation signed by residents (many fictitious) of Kaka Colony, Engineers Enclave, Ambedkar Colony and others pleaded with the PSPCL CMD to shift a boundary wall and allow the widening of a 10-foot road leading to these colonies.
The CMD, Baldev Singh Sran, marked the file to the Director, Generation, SK Puri. Sources claim the clearance was obtained by PSPCL officials owning plots or houses in these colonies, despite objections. “Why the tearing hurry to approve road-widening that benefits only colonisers and some officers?” asked an official. “If the road is widened, the land will have an approach from three sides. It will not only help ease traffic, but also safeguard the boundary wall, which often gets damaged by vehicles,” reads a letter by the Superintending Engineer (Estates) to Puri.
It has come to light that the Additional SE (CD-2), in a note dated August 8, had raised objections, pointing out that the application did not carry the CMD’s remarks. “If the wall is shifted by 30 feet, the PSPCL will lose land worth Rs 22.25 crore,” the note read. While mentioning the note by the SE (Estates), Puri chose to keep mum on the objections.
“The undersigned has visited the site. The problem faced by residents is acute and genuine and a permanent solution is required,” he observed in his note to the CMD. Asked if he had cross-checked the names of residents who had signed the representation, Puri said he had not.
“I was asked by my seniors to submit the file at the earliest. I did explain that the PSPCL would not gain anything,” he claimed. The CMD said he will examine the matter on merit, while ruling out any decision that could result in losses to the PSPCL.
Source Tribune India
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