According to the Kandla Port Trust (KPT) press release, the continuous issue of leased salt land and the demand for conversion from leasehold to freehold of Gandhidham residential and composite plots, Daily Shipping Times reports.
We are surprised to learn from the media that the chamber of commerce is agitating on a demand of conversion from leasehold to freehold of Gandhidham residential and composite plots. The Kandla Port Trust hereby clarifies clearly that the proposal of freehold of Gandhidham land was a proposal conceived by the Chairman of Kandla Port Trust, Dr. P. D. Vaghela and senior officials with the unstinted support of trustees of Kandla Port Trust. The proposal was sent long back and is under the active consideration of Government of India. At this stage, some self styled champions have started projecting this cause for their agitation.
What is the real cause behind this agitationThe common man of Gandhidham has the right to know what is the actual reason behind this agitation where people of Gandhidham are mislead to take part in its agitation. The real reason behind this agitation is taking over of possession of salt lands by Kandla Port Trust.
ISSUE OF SALT LAND:The salt land allotment was done in 1960s on nomination basis which leases have expired during 2004 and still were under the unauthorized occupation of certain lease holders. This has become a matter of contention in the Public Interest Litigation in the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi where the Centre for Public Interest Litigation have alleged that about 16000 Acres of salt lands has been allotted to few families at a throw away price and they had demanded that the land should be taken back and put to auction by the Kandla Port Trust at the earliest.
Accordingly, the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi has issued directions to Kandla Port Trust and simultaneously the Government of India has also issued orders to Kandla Port Trust to take back the possession of the lands, whose lease period have expired and to process for re-auctioning. Accordingly, after following the due legal process, Kandla Port Trust has only implemented orders of taking back possession of about 10000 Acres of salt lands from 29 parties so far.
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