Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 14
More than 50 years after Army man Mohinder Singh laid down his life during the India-Pakistan war, his family has finally succeeded in the battle against administrative “apathy and callousness” for the transfer of ownership of an allotted plot. Just about a month after the matter was directed to be placed before the Punjab Chief Secretary, the state has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a plot measuring three biswas has been allotted.
HC summoned Director twice
The allotment came after the Bench twice summoned the Director, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, besides directing the Chief Secretary’s intervention.
Appearing before the Bench of Justice Lisa Gill and Justice Harsh Bunger, the state counsel referred to a document issued on October 11, a day before the matter was to be taken up by the Bench. The counsel also prayed for time to place on record documents in this regard. Taking a note of the state counsel’s request, the Bench posted the matter for mid-December for further hearing.
The allotment came after the Bench twice summoned the Director, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, besides directing the Chief Secretary’s intervention. Taking cognisance of the “apathy and callousness”, the Bench had, among other things, directed the Chief Secretary to ensure “appropriate action by proper coordination between the departments concerned”.
The direction on the petition filed by Sarbjit Singh through counsel CS Bagri came after the state and other respondents “chose to file a reply repudiating the limited claim” for proper conveyance of three biswas duly handed over to the martyr’s father in 1974, on which a house had been constructed.
The Bench then observed that the laying down of life by the petitioner’s brother while serving the nation was not denied. The land was also admittedly handed over the martyr’s father in 1974, pursuant to a gram panchayat resolution.
The martyr’s father went from pillar to post for the transfer of ownership and other benefits till his death in 2006, after which his brother pursued the matter.
