Chandigarh, Mar 22 (IANS): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday informed the Assembly that 50 years ago people used to donate or gift their land to the government for developmental schemes.

These donations and gifts were given with verbal consent, nothing was given in writing.

"Today their generations go to court and claim that the donated or gifted land belongs to them and public utility properties built on these lands should be dismantled. Therefore, giving relief from such litigations, the Haryana Prohibition of Change of Public Utilities Bill, 2022 has been brought, he explained.

The Chief Minister was replying during the discussion on the Bill during the ongoing budget session.

"Today, whenever we take any land for a government project, we transfer that land in the name of the department in writing, to avoid any chance of litigation. There is no such case today. All land litigation cases are 20, 30 and 50 years old," said the Chief Minister.

He said a provision has been made in this Bill that in such a case an owner can file an appeal within 90 days. "But if someone does not make any claim for his land after 20 years and then starts claiming it after 20 years, it is not justified. That's why we have brought this law so that such limitations do not arise," he added.

To the Opposition's allegation that their demands were not being the met by the government, the Chief Minister said that just the way the Opposition has the right to demand, the government also has the right to choose which demands have to be accepted and which are to be left.

"The Opposition cannot pressurize the government to fulfill its demands,a explained Khattar.