Union Minister Selja has asked Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to review the decision of the state government to acquire 1852 acres of "fertile" land of Panjokhra and other five villages close to Ambala City for setting up Industrial Model Township (IMT).

In a letter sent to the chief minister, Selja, who is Congress' MP from Ambala and a known detractor of Hooda, said the land being acquired for IMT was "totally fertile and cultivated".

She mentioned that around 350 deep and shallow tubewells were already installed on the acquired land. Canal water through Panjokhra minor was also available to farmers of this area, she said in the letter which was released to the media here today.

Selja said farmers of these villages were "very upset and agitated" over this decision.

"Congress President Sonia Gandhi in a conference of the Chief Ministers held at Nanital on September 25, 2009, had expressed her deep concern over the acquisition of fertile land for other purposes in the country. The Then Commerce Minister Kamal Nath had issued directions to various states in this regard. The Supreme Court had also issued a guideline in this matter," Selja, Tourism Minister, said in her letter.

The Union minister said in the letter that around 68 acres of land of village Panjokhra had already been acquired for setting up a BSF regional headquarter.