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See How The Rules Were Bent By Punjab Govt

Jan 1, 2010
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CHANDIGARH SKYLINE IN DANGER: A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION - III

This is How the rules were bent
With top politicians as members, the Punjab Government gave special treatment to the Tata housing project, using loopholes to permit 19 towers apart from ensuring two convenient approach roads from Chandigarh

Ruchika M. Khanna

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 18

Having all top politicians in the state on board for the Camelot project of the Tata Housing Development Company (THDC) has apparently been a wonderful business proposition for the real estate developer. With 129 peoples’s representatives (both serving as well as former MLAs and MPs) as beneficiaries of the project, the company has ensured that its USP of being in the backyard of the lake with the Shivaliks forming its backdrop, yields a great response from investors.


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With both Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia being members of Punjab MLAs Housing Society (which sold its 22 acre land to THDC in return for a flat and Rs 82.50 lakh cash to each of its members), not only has the state government expedited all clearances required to sell the project, but it is now also facilitating the project by proposing easy and shorter access to the Camelot site.

Over the past two days, The Tribune has been highlighting how the multi-storey highrise project by THDC will mar the skyline of Chandigarh. The project is not only violative of the New Capital Periphery Control Act, which bans development in the 16-km buffer zone around Chandigarh, but it will also impact wildlife in the neighbouring Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. It is being constructed in the ecologically fragile foothills of the Shivaliks and could lead to excess soil erosion.

]The state government now plans to construct a 30-metre wide road from Kaimbwala village in Chandigarh, passing through Kansal village, touching Khuda Alisher village (in Chandigarh) right up to the villages of Nada and Mullanpur. The alignment of this road, when constructed, will not only be along the Camelot project site in Kansal village, but also adjacent to the land owned by several other top politicians of Punjab, making it more accessible to Chandigarh and, thus, leading to a higher price valuation of the land owned by them. Punjab has reportedly already asked the Chandigarh Administration to allow road construction in its (UT) area.


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Another access road is envisaged to link the Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat to the above mentioned 30 feet wide road. This 18 feet wide road, right from behind the Secretariat, is proposed to be constructed through a residential society in Kansal village and will culminate after aligning with the above-mentioned road. Interestingly, the point of culmination of this road is near the commercial site proposed in the Nayagaon Notified Area Committee. A top Punjab politician reportedly owns this chunk of land, which will be used for wholesale and retail trade, hotels, restaurants, offices and cinema halls.

Investigations made by The Tribune reveal that the Punjab government went ahead and bent rules to ensure that there was no legal incumberance whatsoever regarding the Camelot project, before it was launched and sold. Though both the Nayagaon master plan and the master plan initially made by Singapore based consultancy Jurong International said that no high rise buildings could be built in the Shivalik foothills, the Camelot project site was included in the Nayagaon NAC, where high rises are allowed under the municipal laws.

The local bodies department of Punjab also went about manipulating and circumventing the edict of Chandigarh, banning all development in the North of the Capitol Complex. Since construction of high rise building within a one kilometer radius of Capitol Complex is banned, the officials decided that instead of the Capitol Complex, they would measure the distance from the eastern edge of the Punjab and Haryana Secretariat. By not including the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Assembly (which form a part of the Capitol Complex) while measuring this distance, the officials ensured that the multi tower high rise Camelot project was okayed.


The names of the members of the MLAs housing society is a virtual whos who of Punjab politicians. These include deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon, deputy speaker Satpal Gosain, Union Minister of state for External Affairs Perneet Kaur, former deputy speaker of Lok Sabha, Charanjit Singh Atwal, and former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur. The others on the list are former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala; Avtar Henry; and MLAs Inderjit Singh Zira; Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpura; Swaran Singh Phillaur; Avtar Singh Brar; Janmeja Singh Sekhon; Gulzar Singh Ranike; Nand Lal; Arunesh Kumar Shakar; Hardev Singh Arshi; Ramesh Chander Dogra; Jora Singh Mann; Om Parkash Soni; Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa; Tara Singh Ladal; Ranjit Singh Ballian; Raj Mohinder Singh Majithia; Jagjit Singh; Jagdish Sawhney; Jagdish Singh Garcha; Satya Pal Saini; Kunwar Jagjit Singh and Baldev Kumar Chawla.

(To be concluded)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101119/main1.htm
Rajneesh Madhok

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Oct 29, 2010
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td nowrap="nowrap">Rajneesh_madhok,

Is there not a way of inviting these people on to some TRUTH TV station and
asking them to explain how their example would help the ordinary person who wants to contribute
to the state and the country?
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Jan 1, 2010
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Dear Mr. Dhanjal,
There is truth in the observations which you and all members have regarding the system going on. The corruption and the system is being expanding and its deep roots are spreading like cancer.
There is a lack of organized MEDIA that put coverage on the malpractices of the leaders and bureaucrats. Because the Media is also running after advertisements (another source of corruption)
http://ww.smashits.com/audio/player/frameset.cfm?SongIds=20601
Kis se pooche kaun bataye??????????????
Rajneesh Madhok
 
Jan 1, 2010
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CHANDIGARH SKYLINE IN DANGER: A TRIBUNE INVESTIGATION - IV
See who profited
The list of beneficiaries of the Tata housing project reads like the who’s who of Punjab politics. Here’s the complete list and what they did to get there
Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune News Service
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Chandigarh, November 19
The biggest money spinner in the region is the shrinking land in and around City Beautiful. Little wonder then that all big names in the real estate sector in the country want to get into this lucrative realty market, which in turn provides a perfect opportunity to local real estate agents, land aggregators and consolidators to make their millions by selling off land to the big daddies of the realty world.

The Camelot project by Tata Housing Development Company (THDC) in Kansal is a perfect example of how the real estate business works in this region. It was a local real estate agent who approached the Tatas in 2006, and suggested that the Tatas join hands with the Punjab MLAs society, The Punjabi Cooperative House Building Society and Defence Services Society, to set up an integrated project in Chandigarh, adjacent to Sukhna Lake. This developer not just made his millions by getting the land consolidated for THDC and arranging the land deal, but is also one of the main brokers for selling the project to investors.
The real estate development arm of Tatas, THDC, was roped in, allegedly with an assurance that since all bigwigs across the political spectrum-from the (then) ruling Congress to the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Bhartiya Janata Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the CPI were members of the society, the project would have no problem in taking off and later the apartments would sell like hot cakes, considering proximity to Chandigarh.
The Tatas were one of the four real estate developers to approach the MLAs society and the Defence Services Society, to get the 53 acre land jointly owned by the two societies. The plotting of the land was already done and in 2006 when the deal was being finalized, THDC was assured by the local real estate developer that the project site had a clear land title and had no legal incumberances. With the then bigwigs of the ruling Congress like Perneet Kaur, Congress MP and wife of then chief minister Amarinder Singh, MP Santosh Chaudhary, state ministers Avtar Henry , Tej Prakash Singh and Ramesh Chander Dogra, being members of the society, the project was envisaged as a sure shot hit.
So even as the Congress lost power to the Akali- BJP combine in 2007, this new political leadership in the state had its own interest in ensuring the project remained on steam, as over half the members belonged to the SAD- BJP alliance. After all, each of these members was getting a four bedroom flat and Rs 82.50 lakh in cash. These include (now) deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh, ousted finance minister Manpreet Badal, local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia (incidentally, it is Kalia’s department that has given all clearances to the Camelot project and played around the rules to give it a legal status), ministers Gulzar Singh Ranike, Parminder Singh Dhindsa Vidhan Sabha speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon and deputy speaker Satpal Gosain. So even as the Congress lost power to the Akali- BJP combine in 2007, this new political leadership in the state had its own interest in ensuring the project remained on steam. After all, each of these members was getting a four bedroom flat and Rs 82.50 lakh in cash.
As part of the joint development agreement signed between THDC, Hash Builders and the two above mentioned housing societies, THDC was to construct the property and make part payment to the high profile members of the two societies. Hash Builders, through its marketing arm, RMC Infrastructure, was to first sell the project to investors, and the advance thus obtained from these buyers was to be used to pay the balance money to the members of MLA society and Defence Services Society ( 260 members). THDC has reportedly paid two tranches to the MLA society members (a total of Rs 33 lakh to each member).
At the time when Joint Development Agreement was signed between THDC, Hash Builders and RMC (India) Infrastructure Ltd, there was a ban on construction of high rise buildings in this region. Interestingly, this land was purchased by the two societies from the original land owners over a period of five years - from 1997- 2003. Some of the land that the society bought was actually a part of the village common land ( jumla mushtarka malkan). However, these politicians amended the by laws and got this land transferred in the name of the society. This amendment in laws also reportedly aided the Defence Services Society.
(To be concluded)
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Complete list of Camelot beneficiaries
</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> Originally, the society had 129 members. By the time the deal was made, the number of members had come down to 102. Here is the full list:
Minister at Centre: Preneet Kaur (Congress)
Punjab Assembly: Speaker Vidhan Sabha Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain, Former speaker Vidhan Sabha Charanjit Singh Atwal
Members of Parliament (MP): Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala SAD, Balwinder Singh Bhundar SAD, Sher Singh (SAD) Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (SAD), Avinash Rai Khanna (BJP), Santosh Chowdhary (Congress)
Chief Parliamentary Secretaries: Nand Lal (SAD), Sarwan Singh Phillaur (SAD), Sohan Singh Thandal (SAD), Arunesh Kumar (BJP), Mohinder Kaur Josh (SAD)
Ministers (SAD-BJP): Sukhbir Singh Badal, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Master Mohan Lal, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Sucha Singh Langah, Swarna Ram, Tikshan Sood, Manoranjan Kalia
Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs): SAD: Balbir Singh Bath, Balbir Singh Ghunas, Jatinder Singh Kariha, Sarabjit Singh
BJP: Chuni Lal Bhagat, Jagdish Sawhney
Congress: Avtar Singh Brar Harmohinder Singh Pardhan, Om Parkash Soni
Former ministers: SAD-BJP: Bibi Jagir Kaur, Balbir Singh Maini, Raja Narinder Singh, Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpura, Hari Singh Zira, Inderjit Singh Zira, Manpreet Singh Badal, Raghbir Singh, Ranjit Singh Balian, Tara Singh Ladal, Charanji Lal Garg, Nusrat Ali Khan, Sikander Singh Maluka, Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Baldev Raj Chawla, Balramji Dass Tandon, Madan Mohan Mittal, Surjit Kumar Jayani
Congress: Jagjit Singh, Jasjit Singh, Satyapal Saini, Tej Parkash Singh, Avtar Henry, Late R.S. Puri, Romesh Chander Dogra
Former Members of Legislative Assembly: SAD: Bagh Singh Malla, Late Bachan Singh Cheema, Gobind Singh Longowal, Harnirpal Singh, Inder Iqbal Singh, Inderjit Singh Zira, Jagtar Singh Rajla, Manmohan Singh Sathiala, Mantar Singh Brar, Paramjit Singh, Late Prem Singh Lalpura, Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, Vir Singh Lapoke, Jagdish Kaur Dhillon, Late Gurdeep Singh Bhullar
Congress: Amrik Singh Dhillon, Kanwaljit Singh Lally, Shamsher Singh Dullo
BSP: Satnam Singh Kainth, Shingara Ram Sahungra
CPI: Hardev Singh Arshi
SAD: Raj Mohinder Singh, Late Zora Singh Mann, Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal
Others: Ram Kumar Goel, Kanwar Jagdeep Singh, Balwant Singh, Gurdeep Singh Badal, Harbhajan Singh, Jasbir Singh Bhullar, Naib Singh, Tejinder Pal Singh, Charanjit Singh M.P., Mohit Garg, Balwinder Kaur, Gurmail Kaur, Harjit Kaur, Manjit Kaur, Manju Rinwa, Mukhtiar Kaur, Surjit Kaur
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101120/main1.htm
Rajneesh Madhok
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Jan 1, 2010
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Ironically, despite being rules by Akali-BJP Govt, all are having hands in gloves.
The above mentioned episode proves that
"HAMAM MEIN HUM SAB NANAGE HAIN" ALL ARE BIRDS OF SAME FEATHER.
Rajneesh Madhok
 

kds1980

SPNer
Apr 3, 2005
4,502
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INDIA
Ironically, despite being rules by Akali-BJP Govt, all are having hands in gloves.
The above mentioned episode proves that
"HAMAM MEIN HUM SAB NANAGE HAIN" ALL ARE BIRDS OF SAME FEATHER.
Rajneesh Madhok

The day people will start voting for leaders which are pro development irrespective of their culture,religion,region then the entire scene will change.
I was hearing a discussion on TV and they mentioned examples where corrupt politicians won electioon with bigger margin after their scandals. and there were also examples where the politicians that were pro development were booted out.Anyway people just love to bash politicians because they don't want to take any responsibility on their shoulders.
 
Jan 1, 2010
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India's politics is caste based politics. Most of the legislatures and Parliamentarians are being elected due to the population of the specific people of that area. The votes are being casted not on merits but on the basis of castes. In India the congress is considered Centre-left or liberal and the Bhartiya Janata party is considered Centre-right or conservative. Both of the parties used to distribute tickets to the candidates considering the caste of the voters not on the basis of the merits.
Why Giani Zail Singh was elected President of India? The opposite candidate was the Retired Chief jusitice of India---Is it?
Giani Zail Singh had been chosen President being an Indira Loyalist rather than an eminent person. Wording of Giani Zail Singh " If my leader has said I should pick up a broom and be a sweeper, I would have done that. She chose me to be President." Giani Zail Siongh quoted these words after winning election and at teh time of taking oath of office on 25 July 1982.
If this is the condition of a President of India then what will we expect from the other leaders or bureaucrats.
Rajneesh Madhok
 
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