Ousted, forgotten and damned
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — Residents of eight villages, the land of which was acquired during the second phase of development of Chandigarh, are still looking for rehabilitation as they have not been issued any oustees’ declaration certificates by the Chandigarh Administration so far.

The resentful original domiciles of these villages have now decided to form Kanthala Oustees Reha- bilitation Welfare Committee, which, they maintain, is a non-political and peaceful organisation. It will work for suitable rehabilitation of all those whose land was acquired on or before December 13, 1969.

Members of this society maintain that after a lot of resistance and opposition over the acquisition of land from residents of the original 17 villages here, a compromise was reached in 1950. The then Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh, Mr Jaswant Singh Uppal, had signed a compromise with the action committee of original villagers of Chandigarh where provision was made for complete resettlement of all those who were ousted.

In the second phase, eight villages, including Kanthala , were acquired but no such agreement was reached. The land was purchased by the government at a cheap rate, recalls Mr Angrez Singh, who was a witness to the 1950 agreement.

Twentytwo villages of phase II, were left untouched, and an official notification to this effect was made in 1980-81 at the instance of the then MP and a Union Minister, Mr Jagan Nath Kaushal. Of these 22 villages, four have now been included within the limits of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, leaving 18 villages in the Union Territory.

The Kanthala Oustees Rehabili-tation Welfare Society maintains that the villages acquired during the second phase had been discriminated against by the Administration. The villagers have been running from pillar to post during the past 30 years without ever getting heard.

The acquisition of their land and denial of oustees’ declaration certificates to them was in defiance of all human rights of city originals though they needed to be rehabilitated with honour and dignity as city originals. On the other hand, says Mr Angrez Singh, senior patron of the sociey, migrants have been given preferential treatment in the rehabilitation schemes as hundreds or rather thousands, of dwelling units have been constructed and allotted to the migrants while the oustees of eight villages of second phase are still to be rehabilitated.

The residents of these eight villages held a convention here last month where they decided to form the society, get it registered and fight a peaceful battle in support of its demands.

A deputation of the society, says Mr Angrez Singh, had met the previous Administrator of Chandigarh, Lieut-Gen BKN Chhibber (retd), on October 30 this year to demand housing for its members. The memorandum submitted by the society was marked by General Chhibber to the authority concerned.

But till date, the society has not heard any further from the Administration. “We have now decided to form Chandigarh bachao samiti”, declares Mr Angrez Singh, “in our fight for recognition to the original domiciles and reservation for them, not only in allotment of houses but also in jobs and other areas.”

Bus shelter encroached by vendors
From Our Correspondent

ZIRAKPUR, Dec 5 — Hundreds of commuters are forced to wait for buses outside a bus shelter at the intersection of the Chandigarh-Ambala and the Zirakpur-Patiala highways here, as the shelter has been “encroached” by vendors.

The shelter is being used to sell eatables by a dhaba-owner for the past many years. Without fearing the Punjab Public Works Department, PWD (B&R), the owner has even arranged benches outside the shelter for the convenience of customers.

Fruit sellers and rehri-phari owners keep their rehris parked in front of it the whole day which puts the commuters to great inconvenience. In spite of waiting for the buses in the shelter, they have to keep standing on the main road, which leads to congestion.

The problem has aggravated as the Zirakpur Nagar Panchayat has set up a wooden shack next to the shelter. The shack has been put to collect octroi from the commuters who load goods on which octroi has been imposed. The presence of the wooden shack has completely obscured the shelter.

Moreover, many sign-boards are still atop buildings in violation of the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s orders.

Mr Amrit Lal Bansal, Executive Officer of the Nagar Panchayat, admitted that the shack had been put at this place temporarily. Though the land comes under the PWD (B&R), the Nagar Panchayat has a proposal to construct two bus shelters within two months. “The Panchayat will spend more than Rs 1 lakh to construct a shelter on the Patiala road and another on the Delhi road for the convenience of commuters,” said Mr Bansal.

Termites eat into trees
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Dec 5 — The green belt on the Panjab University campus is facing a threat as termites are eating up trees and other vegetation.

Mango trees, poplars and other species are afflicted by the moth. A full-grown tree outside the Construction Office (Maintenance), on the campus is in a dilapidated condition. Sources said lack of sufficient staff and anti-termite kits compounded the problem.

Behind Hostel No I, in orchards, the moth has shown its affect even on grass. A mali said, "The moth first attacks plants in the bark and then eats other parts, leading to its early death."

Mr Praveen Rathi, a research scholar and resident of the hostel, feels that inaction on the part of the Horticulture Department has led to this condition of the tree belt. Hardly any official is seen looking after these 'ailing trees'.

Mr S.S. Saini, Deputy Xen, refused to talk to this correspondent over telephone.