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Justice Kuldip Singh Special Tribunal Report — The Tribune Impact
Panel to identify panchayat land grab cases
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 21
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has formed a three-member committee to identify cases where panchayat land has been occupied illegally in Mohali and initiate action against those found guilty.

Over the past few days, The Tribune has been serialising the findings of the report submitted by the Justice Kuldip Singh Tribunal. The report has exposed large-scale illegal occupation of panchayat lands in villages of Mohali, especially those surrounding Chandigarh, by politicians and bureaucrats.

An official press release today said the three-member committee, comprising Director Rural Development and Panchayats SK Raju, Special Secretary (Revenue) SS Khara and District Revenue Officer Mohali Rohit Gupta, has been asked to submit its initial report by December 31.

The committee has been mandated to examine cases in respect of villages regarding which the Justice Kuldip Singh Tribunal has given its reports and also other villages in the district.

The terms of reference would be to initiate appropriate action in accordance with the law to rectify the irregularities that have been identified by the Tribunal so that the lands that have been wrongfully distributed amongst the private persons could be restored to the panchayats.

The committee had been further asked to prepare village-wise inventory of panchayat lands in Mohali district and ascertain the current status of land in terms of both government record and actual position on the spot.

Besides, the committee would also identify persons who have usurped panchayat land through various means and suggest measures for restoring such lands to panchayats.

The Chief Minister said the state government was duty-bound to retrieve all such encroached shamlat lands to the respective village panchayats across the state to ensure the judicious utilisation of these lands for the overall development of villages besides welfare and prosperity of its people.

To submit report by Dec 31 The 3-member panel comprises Director Rural Development and Panchayats SK Raju, Special Secretary (Revenue) SS Khara and Mohali District Revenue Officer Rohit Gupta The panel, which will also initiate action against those found occupying panchayat land illegally in Mohali, has been asked to submit its initial report by December 31