Ludhiana: Due to frequent delay in giving possession of plots in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, allottees knocked on the doors of Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) on Thursday. The allottees alleged that despite several requests, Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) officials had failed to get possession of 5.5 acres of land illegally occupied by Gajjan Singh. The allottees have also requested the commission to direct the police commissioner to provide force to LIT authorities for conducting a demolition drive in the area to take possession of the land.The allottees said LIT officials had complained against Gajjan Singh in the SBS Nagar police station on Pakhowal Road, alleging that he had demolished the boundaries of plot-holders, and entered into their boundaries by breaking the walls. LIT explained in the letter to police that it had taken possession from Singh, but he encroached the land again, and started cultivation on it. LIT had demanded police force to conduct a demolition drive in the area, but nothing had been done so far in this regard.LIT has allotted plots to more than 51 allottees, and also received huge sums from them amounting to around Rs22 lakh per plot. More than five months have passed after LIT sought force, but nothing concrete was done to remove the encroachment and develop the land.Allottees rued that they even met LIT chairman and other officials in September, and repeatedly requested them to give them possession of their plots with all basic civic amenities. But it seemed something was going wrong in LIT as well. The allottees claimed they could claim interest at 9% rate on the amount deposited to LIT on account of their plots until LIT gave them possession of the plots. The allottees claimed LIT and the police administration were responsible for the delay in getting the land vacated from the illegal occupant.The allottees requested the commission to direct the police administration to assist LIT officials in getting the land vacated, and give them possession at the earliest. LIT superintending engineer Rakesh Garg said: “We had demanded police force twice, but did not get it, so demolition could not take place. I will again talk to the chairman to pressurize the police department to assist them in the demolition drive at the earliest.”

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