Punjab Congress on Thursday warned Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal against squandering prime 31 acres of PSPCl Mini Secretariat and Power Colony at Sarabha Nagar, to create so called ludhiana Down Town or a concrete jungle.
The “warning” was issued by Congress leader and former MlA Sukhpal Khaira to “junior Badal and his co-conspirator officers” against indulging in “throwing to winds 31 acres prime Government property to satisfy their personal whims and fancies”.
He, along with eco-friendly organisations, also announced to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court through a public interest litigation in case the Government goes ahead with the proposed “anti-Punjab and anti-environment measure”.
“Sukhbir is hell bent to squander precious green environmental friendly Government properties into commercial concrete jungles. He is trying to convert prime Government premises into private commercial ventures, as if Punjab is his personal fiefdom or one of his Orbit Resort type companies and he its CEO,” said Khaira.
Talking about the land in question, Khaira said that PSPCl land has two pockets measuring 10.82 and 21.07 acres housing offices and residences of PSPCl staff. “Market value of this property is more than Rs 3,000 crore, besides having thousands of very old trees that act as eco-friendly measure for residents, of otherwise congested and polluted ludhiana,” he added.
He pointed that there was a great sense of anguish and resentment amongst ludhiana residents against the creation of a concrete jungle in the name of city Down Town, and the decision would “definitely add to already fast growing health hazards”.