Army is upset with the state government
The Army is upset with the state government for dilly-dallying on giving land to it in exchange for defence land in Amritsar and Jalandhar.
The government had acquired about 10 acres of land in Jalandhar Cantt for widening of the national highway near PAP Chowk. In exchange, it had promised to give an alternative land.
It’s been two years and the government is yet to honour its promise. The widening of the road, though, is in progress.
In Amritsar, the government had acquired 47 acres and promised 100 acres in exchange in Nawanshahr’s Bir Sarnagwal village.
In a meeting here today, senior Army officers reminded Revenue and Home Department officials about the unfulfilled promises. The government assured the Army of speeding up the process of giving land in exchange for the Amritsar land. As for the Jalandhar Cantt land issue, the government said the matter had been stuck.
Sources told The Tribune the Army was asked to settle the matter with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), as both were Central departments.
The Army reminded the state government that the previous SAD-BJP government had pressed on the Army to give the land for a public cause. Moreover, the state government is the executing agency for land acquisition.
On the insistence of Army officers, the state government agreed to examine the possibility of acquiring land for the Army, but officials insisted the Army should settle the matter with the NHAI first.
An official said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh would take a final call on the matter.
Sources said as per the laid-down formula of providing alternative land, the Army is seeking land worth Rs 400 crore in Bir Sarnagwal village in lieu of Rs 98-crore land.