Chandigarh, March 25, 2025 (Yes Punjab News)
Senior Congress leader and Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari today decried the refusal by the union home ministry to grant amnesty to the occupants of the Chandigarh Housing Board for various alterations.
Tewari had raised question in the parliament, asking, whether the Union government planned to introduce an amnesty scheme or enact legislation, similar to the 1999 Delhi scheme or the NCT of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Act, 2023, to provide relief to Chandigarh allottees, given the problems caused by the unceasing flow of notices from the CHB.
The Chandigarh MP disclosed that the home ministry has said that there was no such plan to grant any amnesty.
He said, it is most unfortunate that in the past 10 years CHB issued 7468 notices but carried out 223 demolitions only. “The percentage of notices to demolitions works out to a meagre 3.26 % only. Even the fines recovered over 10 years is Rs 3.72 crores only, that is only Rs 37.2 lakhs a year on the average”, he pointed out.
He said, it is obvious that these notices are instruments of harassment, intimidation, coercion and even rent seeking.
Tewari observed, it is unfortunate that the Chandigarh Housing Board refuses to bring an amnesty scheme despite the fact it is the most logical thing to do to mitigate this constant harassment and intimidation.
He appealed to the Chandigarh Administrator that he must review the functioning of the Chandigarh Housing Board comprehensively.
