Chandigarh administration issues fresh notice to CGA Golf Range for additional violations

Following the earlier show-cause notice issued in 2018, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Central) has issued a fresh notice to CGA Golf Range, managed by Chandigarh Golf Association in Sector 6, for additional building violations.

The notice was issued under Rule 14 and Rule 16 of the Chandigarh Estate Rules, 2007, fixing the date of hearing as July 9.

The notice states that CGA is liable for payment of the costs of ₹6 per square foot per day for the area where the violations occur, to be paid for each month or part thereof that the building violations occur. The previous notice was issued in September 2018, with most of the violations still existing.

₹3.18 crore penalty calculated

The administration carried out an inspection on the golf course in the last week of March this year and calculated the fine for the violations so far as ₹3.18 crore. In case of non-payment of the charges, it will be recovered as arrears of land revenue.

According to the calculation of the area where the violations occur, the daily fine amount is: ₹1.06 crore per month. With the inspection conducted three months ago, a huge amount of ₹Rs 3.18 crore has already to be paid to the government for the violations.

When contacted, SK Sharma, President of CGA Golf Range, said, “It is a routine matter of the administration and we will respond to the notice.”

RK Chaudhary, a senior permanent member, expressed serious concerns that the CGA management will eventually saddle the members with the burden of paying the fine. He said the members had been consistently airing their grievances from time to time but to no avail. “There has been resentment among the members over the years which has now come out in the open. A large group of members have come together and formed a core group to fight for their rights,” he said.

The golf course covers approximately 3.6 hectares and was opened in 1999. More than twenty years later, the golf course has 1,200 permanent members, 500 temporary members and 200 student members.