Ropar, June 20 — A major discrepancy in land records has surfaced in Nangal, where about 15.25 acres of land belonging to the defunct Punjab National Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd (PNFC) has gone missing, stalling a court-mandated liquidation process.
The missing land, part of a 111-acre industrial plot owned by PNFC — a closed unit under the Punjab State Infrastructure Development Corporation (PSIDC) — came to light after the official liquidator, appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ordered a fresh survey earlier this year.
In a letter dated March 22 to the Nangal Sub-Divisional Magistrate, the liquidator noted that while the jamabandi (official land record) from 2008–09 showed the unit possessed 111 acres, the 2018–19 revenue records reflected a shortfall of 112 kanals, or roughly 15.25 acres. A copy of the letter has been reviewed by The Tribune.
Sources familiar with the matter said the land was measured by Nangal revenue officials as part of the liquidation proceedings. “The previous SDM had marked an inquiry into the matter, but the issue remained unresolved,” a source said, suggesting that the missing portion may have been encroached upon by adjoining industrial units or could be the result of a record-keeping anomaly.
Deputy Commissioner Ropar, Varjeet Singh Walia, confirmed the development and said an inquiry has been initiated. “The revenue officials are examining the concerns raised by the liquidator,” he said.
The value of the disputed land is substantial — located on National Highway 503, the land is valued at over ₹3 crore per acre as per prevailing government rates, bringing the estimated worth of the missing land to more than ₹45 crore.
The PNFC unit was ordered shut by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 28, 2001. The liquidation process has dragged on for over two decades. In 2016, under the supervision of the liquidator, scrap from the unit was sold for ₹17.92 crore, and ₹7.50 crore in compensation was received for three acres acquired for a railway overbridge project. However, employees have only received 40 percent of their dues from those proceeds and are still awaiting the remaining 60 percent — a delay spanning 26 years.
On May 23 this year, the High Court instructed the liquidator to expedite the sale of the remaining PNFC land and settle the outstanding dues of workers. However, the discovery of the missing 15.25 acres has thrown a wrench into those proceedings.
“The issue must be resolved before the remaining land can be sold,” said a source involved in the liquidation. “Until the revenue records are rectified or the missing land is accounted for, the process cannot move forward.”
