SC quashes Chandigarh IT park land acquisition

It’s been a sweet victory for land owners and farmers in Chandigarh who had been contesting against the union territory (UT) administration’s decision to acquire 272 acres of land to expand the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park (RGCTP). After their petitions were rejected by the High Court in 2011, land owners and farmers affected by the acquisition of land approached the Supreme Court.

With the Supreme Court ordering quashing the acquisition last week, the UT administration has been put on the back foot, bringing a smile on the faces of the members of the Mani Majra Farmers and Welfare Protection Society, which had been contesting against the decision.

Raj Karan Singh, the society’s organising Secretary, said the SC has come as big relief . According to Singh, 900 people were likely to be affected by the acquisition. society represents land owners, farmers, landless labourers and agricultural workers

It had questioned the administration’s decision to acquire additional land when it already had sufficient vacant space available in the first and second phase of RGCTP.

The first two phases of the RGCTP are spread over 378 acres of land while 270 acres of additional land was acquired by the UT administration in 2006-07, which was challenged by the society.

Earlier, the home affairs ministry, after an audit on the project, had pointed out serious irregularities by the UT administration while allotting the land.