CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has issued a contempt notice to the secretary, revenue and rehabilitation, Punjab, on a petition filed by a 1971 war widow alleging allotment of “useless land” to her across the fence on the international border with Pakistan instead of a cultivable land.

The high court bench of justice Rakesh Kumar Jain has sought a reply by October 21 on the petition moved by Jasbir Kaur, wife of Major Kanwaljit Singh, a Delhi resident.

The petition says Kanwaljit was taken into custody by the Pakistan army during 1971 war but was later declared martyred and was awarded Shaurya Chakra.

he high court had in 2015 directed Punjab to allot 10 acres of cultivable land to the petitioner, as per policy of the Punjab government, or in the alternative, to make her payment for the price of the land. The court was told that the revenue department allotted her 10 acres of “useless land”, which could not be cultivated, as it situated across the fence, beyond the BSF check-post, at zero point on the International border between India and Pakistan in Amritsar.

“There is no source of irrigation. Moreover, the authorities don’t permit installation of tubewell. There are many restrictions in approaching the land even during the day. Even a temporary hut for labourers cannot be permitted,” the petitioner had submitted adding that state’s act was in violation of court orders.