(Mahesh Chander Sharma) Despite the fact that Green Bench of Himachal High Court has quashed the Environment clearances and Land Acquisition notifications of Harish Cement Plant which was coming up near Sundernagar in District Mandi the Government officials are still favoring the officials of Cement Company and has recently given permission to the company to purchase the land directly from farmers.
As per latter on 11th March 2011 addressed to D.C Mandi from the office of Secretary Revenue the Government has extended permission to purchase land from farmers under section 118 of Land Reforms and Tenancy Act in favor of the Harish Cement Company interestingly this permission stood lapsed and subsequently on 13th December 2010 the Green Bench of H.P High Court quashed the environmental clearances and the Land acquisitions notification of the Cement Project. As per information after passing the judgment of High Court the cement company applied for extension of permission to purchase land from farmers interestingly the purpose of purchase was to set up Cement Plant. Afterwards D.C Mandi recommended two cases on 8-2-2011 and 25-2-2011 to the Govt which has been allowed by the office of Revenue Secretary on 11-3-2011 and permission to purchase the land has been extended for next six months.
The Joint Action Committee of various farmers and social organizations accused the Govt that it was adopting duel standard, it has been talking much about environment and begging award on the name of environment but in reality it was taking decisions which were against the environment.
According to Joginder Singh President of Bhartiya Kishan Sangh ( R.S.S Wing of farmers) the Joint Action Committee has given memorandum of Chief Minister( during his recent visit to Sundernagar ) to scrape the M.O.U of Cement Plant as its various clearances and Acquisitions have been quashed by Green Bench of High Court of H.P in the month of
December 2010 but ignoring the interest of farmers the Govt has recently wrongly given permission to company to purchase land directly from the farmers the Acquisition proceeding of which has been quashed by Court.
The local revenue officials were tight lipped in the matter and but confirmed that permission to purchase land was received they further confirmed that political wish was behind this permission.
According to D.C Mandi there was no illegality in according permission to purchase land from farmers as the High Court never posed bar to purchase land from farmers.
On the other hand Ashok Sharma and Anand Sharma both advocates High Court who have fought this case before High Court the extension of permission by any Govt official was wrong and they would initiate appropriate legal action against these officials. They further said that when very purpose of project was quashed by High Court how the Govt official could dare to act contrary to judgment of High Court.
