Chandigarh, December 27
Officials of the Cooperation Department have come under the scanner of the Vigilance Bureau in connection with a transfer of seven acres of land out of 14.9 acres by the Working Friends Housing Cooperative Society, Mohali, to a private builder during the tenure of the Congress government.
In 2020, the society entered into an agreement with a private builder for the construction of flats on seven acres. On March 3, 2021, The Registrar, Cooperative Societies, granted approval and subsequently seven acres of land was transferred to the builder before applying for the project layout approvals from the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).
The case for final approval for the housing project on the land owned by the Working Friends Housing Cooperative Society has been pending with the GMADA. After winning a case in the apex court against the acquisition of their land in 2015, the society sought permission from the GMADA for a group housing project, but was denied as it could be approved on a minimum of 25 acres of land.
The case for granting approval was taken up at a meeting of the Housing Department during the tenure of CM Charanjit Channi.