Vacant plots turn into dumping sites

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 7

Even as the Municipal Corporation, Bathinda, (MCB) has made it mandatory for the vacant plot owners to construct a boundary wall around the plots and has also cautioned residents against dumping garbage there, the civic body has failed to initiate action against those not following the orders.

While releasing the orders, the MCB had said it would initiate strict action against the violators under Sections 323 and 324 of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, under which they will have to pay a penalty of Rs 500 to Rs 2,000.

However, they have not been able to identify the owners of various vacant plots, which have been converted into garbage dumping zone, causing problem to the residents living nearby.

As per the information, officials of the Municipal Corporation have issued 258 challans under Section 323 of the Municipal Corporation Act.

Meanwhile, chief sanitary inspector Satish Kumar said they had not been able to zero in on the address of the vacant plot owners due to lack of cooperation between the sanitation wing and Property Tax Department.

He said their sanitary inspector had tried to find out the address and contact numbers of the owners of vacant plots from the residents of adjoining houses, but in vain as the residents do not want to get involved in the case.

Moreover, it has become more problematic for them to issue a challan in the case of disputed plots, he added.

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath said, “The MC officials are continuously making surprise checks in commercial and residential areas to issue a challan to people for littering garbage in the city. If they have failed to issue challans to the owners of the vacant plot for not constructing boundary wall, then I will personally talk to the Municipal Commissioner to find out a way out of the problem.”