Chandigarh, March 12
Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, while making an announcement in the Assembly today, said that if Shamlat Deh land from any village in Haryana has been transferred to the Waqf Board, a thorough investigation of the same will be conducted. He said that a committee will be formed under the chairmanship of Rohtak Divisional Commissioner to investigate the Peer Bodhi issue, located on the Rohtak-Gohana road. Karnal Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Rohtak also serve as members of the committee. The committee will meticulously examine all relevant facts and records associated with this issue.
The Chief Minister said that the government has taken the Peer Bodhi issue, raised by a member in the House, very seriously. Preliminary investigations have revealed that in 1967-68, this land was Shamlat Deh land. In 1990, the Government of India notified the land in the name of the Punjab Waqf Board. Subsequently, this land was registered as a cemetery, and it is now in the name of the Waqf Board.
He said that the transfer of Shamlat Deh land to the Waqf Board is a very serious matter. He also raised questions about the forces and individuals responsible for the transfer of land and how it was carried out. After a long legal process, the land, in 2024, is now under the management of the Waqf Board and is being leased out.
The Chief Minister also assured that the state government is dedicated to the conservation of Johar, ponds, and reservoirs. To facilitate this, the state government amended the Haryana Gram Shamlat Land (Regulation) Act 2024, granting ownership rights to individuals living in houses up to 500 yards on Shamlat Deh land. However, it was stipulated that no houses can be built on land where there is a Johar, pond, or reservoir. The government has been dedicated to preserving these natural resources.
