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GLADA moves at snail’s pace for removing encroachments

LUDHIANA: Even after facing contempt petition (COCP 3645 of 2017) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for its alleged failure to clear encroachments from public land, vacant sites and green belts in its various colonies, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) continues to move at a snail’s pace as far as taking action against unlawful occupants is concerned.

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Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, November 28

Even after facing contempt petition (COCP 3645 of 2017) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for its alleged failure to clear encroachments from public land, vacant sites and green belts in its various colonies, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) continues to move at a snail’s pace as far as taking action against unlawful occupants is concerned.

Out of 12 identified encroachments listed before the HC, only two have been cleared till now while action to clear other sites is said to be in process.

At the last date of hearing on November 21, the counsel, who appeared on the behalf of GLADA, sought some more time to submit the status and action report. However, it seems unlikely for GLADA to present a clear slate before the Court when the case comes up for the next hearing on January 29, 2019.

While GLADA Estate Officer Sonam Chaudhry claims that the work to clear the rest of the encroachments is in progress, but going by the status of encroachments discussed in a meeting convened by GLADA Chief Administrator PS Gill on August 23, 2018, the progress in this regard is anything but promising.

According to the information by GLADA to Rohit Sabharwal, president, Council of RTI Activists, under the Right to Information Act, the dozen-odd identified encroachments were located in Dugri Urban Estate Phase I, II and III, Dhandari Kalan Phase I, III and IV (Chandigarh Road), Sector 32-A, 38, 39, 40 and Ferozepur Road.

GLADA claimed that two encroachments were cleared, two others were referred to the Municipal Corporation (since colonies concerned and green belts were transferred to the MC for maintenance), two others were under litigation while in the rest of them, process had been set in motion.

Chaudhry asserted that even in the case of six other encroachments, parts of the area under encroachment was cleared whereas for the removal of jhuggis on public land in Sector 40 and elsewhere in GLADA colonies, an action plan had been formulated for the rehabilitation of uprooted jhuggi/slum dwellers.

“It is proposed to shift the jhuggi dwellers to one room dwelling units under Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BUSP) scheme and Rs 13.31 crore has been deposited with the MC for this purpose,” said the GLADA Estate Officer.

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