Building own house in heart of Shahi City of gardens“Patiala” has turned out to be a nightmare for more than 200 allottees of the plot sites offered by PUDA at Nabha Patiala Road. The site in question falls under “Optimum use of waste Government Land” OUGWL category and there used to be Govt. Animal Husbandry site till 2015.
In October 2015, PUDA publicized to sell residential plots at this site under the name “309 PLOTS SCHEME” at exorbitant prices of Rs 25000/- per square yard and it was widely and boldly publicized that possession shall be offered at the site at 25% of the payment of plot cost.
PUDA issued letters of intent to the successful allottees in January 2016 and asked them to deposit 25% of the total plot consideration money (along with 2% additional cancer cess)within 30 days. It is pertinent to mention here that at this stage the allottees were not even made aware about the plot number, location, direction etc. being offered which otherwise is very crucial for a buyer to know. All the successful allottees deposited 25% payment by March 2016.
Later in December 2016, PUDA arbitrarily issued demand notices in the name of allotment letters to these allottees asking them to deposit balance 75% of the plot cost within 60 days. In the event of failure to deposit 75% of the plot cost, allottees were charged with 12% interest on the balance 75%with effect from December 2016. At this point of time no development work had started and the site was totally covered up with vegetation and old building belonging to Animal Husbandry department. It is important to note that Punjab and Haryana High Court in a landmark judgement (CWP 4108 of 2016) on November 21, 2016 has categorically directed such government agencies like PUDA /HUDA/ Improvement trusts etc. through Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Haryana not to offer any sites without completion of development works. PUDA has deliberately turned blind eye to High court direction and issued demand notices in December 2016.
Interestingly, PUDA again offered remaining residential plots at the same site at the same price (Rs 25000/- per sq yard) in October 2016 with similar terms and conditions. However, PUDA provided a differential treatment to these allottees and did not slap any interest on the balance 75% cost until the physical possession is handed over. This preferential treatment of PUDA towards similarly situated parties has led to huge difference in financial liabilities between two sets of allotteesat the same site.
Several representations regarding this matter were submitted by the allottees to the offices of Estate officer PDA, Chief Administrator PUDA Chandigarh and Secretary Housing and Urban development but no reply has been received so far. In the meantime, several court cases have been filed by the allottees against this discretionary action of PUDA and are pending for hearing early next month.
PUDA without mending menial ways of working has now offered Possession to the allottees through a public notice issued in leading newspapers on November 16, 2017. It has been claimed in this notice that the site in question is fully developed and ready for possession by the allottees. However the ground realities are totally different..
Dr. Prabhleen Singh President of puda Enclave welfare society told that there are two religious structures present within premises of the site and affecting several plots and blocking the roads. Interestingly PUDA has never published any such information either in information brochure or advertisement about presence of such religious structures at the site. Plot owners have just now discovered that these sites exist right in middle of this site. Several complaints regarding such structures have been submitted to PUDA office no response has been received so far from the competent authority regarding what action is planned for such structures.
Dr.. Sandeep Kumar Secretary of Puda Enclave welfare society told that As on date there is no gate provided for entering the locality. No power supply has been provided on the site. Pavement work is also incomplete. There are several trees standing in various plots on site and it has been left to the allottees to deal with it. Similarly there is another Government High School having its backside opening towards the site. School building has several windows, ventilators and water pipes opening into the PUDA site and this issue is yet to be resolved.
This is just a glaring example of how irresponsible and unprofessional a Government agency can be to make a commoner`s life miserable that too when it comes to CM’s home town and constituency.
Allottees told that they will soon start agitation against this disparity of PUDA if there grievances will not be addressed by Administration.
