Ludhiana, February 17
After 15 years a consumer would get a plot under the ‘local displaced person” (LDP) category on an order of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. The forum has directed the Improvement Trust, Ludhiana, to allot a plot of 200 square yards at the rate of Rs 154 per square yards to Mr Dhanwant Singh, a resident of Gurdev Nagar. The forum has also directed the trust to pay Rs 1,000 as litigation cost to the consumer.
According to the complaint, the consumer owned land measuring 272 square yards. The said land was acquired under a scheme of the Improvement Trust. The consumer stated before the forum that a notification was published on October 28, 1972, through which the land was acquired by the trust.
The consumer said since his land was acquired by the trust, he had the right for allotment of a plot under the Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar Scheme in the “Local displaced person” category. He explained that the trust was required to make the allotment as per the rules.
The consumer said in case due to some reasons the allotment could not be made in the same scheme, then the same had to be made in another scheme, but the trust did not allot him a plot, in spite of several requests. He said trust officials kept promising allotment and he even deposited Rs 500 on August 12, 1985, with the authorities but to no avail.
The consumer alleged that the trust made allotment of plots to persons of its choice. He said when he was informed by the trust that no plot was available under the 550 acres scheme, he requested for a plot in Model Town Extension or Gian Singh Rarrewala or Raj Guru Nagar Scheme, but even his request was not acceded to.
The consumer stated that the plots in the Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar Scheme were allotted at the rate of Rs 154 per square yard. He said: “The cost of construction had been increased many times since 1985.” He demanded from the forum that the trust should be directed to allot a plot of 200 square yards in a well-developed residential scheme and he paid Rs 4,50,000 on account of damages and increase in the cost of construction.
The Improvement Trust pleaded that there was no deficiency in services as the complainant was not entitled to allotment of plot. However, the respondent admitted to the acquisition of land of the complainant for Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar Scheme. It was also said the complainant was given award after acquiring his land.
The respondent maintained that the complainant had applied for a plot in the said scheme and had deposited Rs 500 for the same. But other allegations were denied. It was stated that the complainant was not entitled to any plot.
The forum stated that the trust had not given any reason as to why the plot had not been allotted to the complainant. The forum said non-allotment of the plot to the complainant was a deficiency in service and the complainant was entitled to allotment of plot in the disputed scheme (Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar) for which the land was acquired.
The forum further said if the plot was not available under the scheme, he should have been allotted a plot in another scheme at the same rate at which the plots were allotted to other displaced persons.
The forum held that the complainant was entitled to a plot of 200 square yards in an equally developed scheme on the price at which the local displaced persons were allotted plot in the Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar Scheme.
