Shimla: Demanding a review of the state land laws, opposition congress accused the BJP government here of a cover up operation by backtracking from holding a CBI enquiry into the whole issue of land sale.
Talking to reporters’ party spokesman Mukesh Agnihotri said that a cover up operation about the large scale sale of land in contravention of state laws was being done by the government. First it offered to get an enquiry conducted by CBI and then there was an announcement about conducting of a judicial probe; whereas till date neither of them has finally been notified.
He said that much misused section 118 of HP Land Tenancy and Reforms Act 1972 does not have a provision about change of land usage clause, which needs to be rectified.
Asking for a complete review of state land laws, the congress spokesman said that the government by permitting sale of private lands was not protecting small farmers from being rendered landless.
Agnihotri said that BJP had put Himachal on sale and the tourist destinations of Dalhousie, Kasauli, Manali, Dharamshala and Shimla were where most land deals had taken place.
Congress was not diluting the issue of Bamloe builders constructing plush cottages in a lush green forested area, he said.
Even though agreements between colonizer DLF and Bamloe builders were available on the internet, the government was deliberately expressing ignorance by saying that it was not a housing project of the country’s largest housing company.
The opposition, he said, wanted to know who approved 6 other housing projects after minister of housing Mohinder Singh had let Vidhan Sabha know that they had not been sanctioned by his approval.
Another spokesman Kuldeep Rathore, who was also present on the occasion, said that horticulture minister Narinder Bragta was underplaying the losses suffered by apple orchard owners because of hail damages. “The losses are estimated to be over Rs 500 crore,†he said.
He asked the government to use funds under horticulture mission for supply of subsidized anti hail nets as the anti hail gun had become a failed gun for being unable to protect fruit crops.
The party is to hold a convention at Palampur on 12th June that would be presided by state incharge Virender Singh Chaudhary in which political and economic resolutions would be discussed and passed. The conventions would be attended by all party functionaries including the two union ministers, said Rathore.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
and congress trying to cover BLACK MONEY scam…