Attempt to encroach upon green belt

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, February 24

Timely action by the officials of Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) foiled a determined attempt by certain unscrupulous elements to encroach upon the land under the green belt in Maharishi Valmiki Nagar colony here on Thursday. 

A boundary wall being erected by unlawful occupants was razed to the ground and violators were asked to appear in the Trust office with documents, if any, on Monday.

According to LIT officials, an attempt was made to again encroach upon some 4,000 square yard green belt in Block Z of Maharishi Valmiki Nagar, where the construction of a boundary wall had been taken up. Apparently, the unlawful occupants wanted to take advantage of three consecutive holidays in the government offices due to Mahashivratri, Saturday and Sunday.

When the field staff of the engineering wing intervened to stop the construction, the occupants told them that they had met LIT Chairman Dr Subhash Verma and shown him certain documents pertaining to the ownership of land. They allegedly told the LIT staff that the construction work was commenced with the consent of the chairman. 

However, it later came out that the law-breakers were misrepresenting facts and using the name of the Trust chief to wriggle out of the situation. On getting the report of the staff, LIT Superintending Engineer RK Garg rushed to the spot even without waiting for the police force to arrive and got the construction work stopped. 

In the meantime, the police force also arrived at the spot and effectively intervened to take the situation under control.

Garg said the area of green belt had been under encroachment of the same persons for more than 20 years and it was only in November last year that the unlawful occupants were evicted and LIT had taken possession of this land.

The LIT Chairman maintained that some people did meet him regarding some disputed land and had shown him documents of the ownership. He had, however, told them that the land in question would be first traced and demarcated by the revenue staff and only thereafter any action would be taken. He denied that he had given any assurance to encroachers to go ahead. According to Garg, those behind the bid to encroach upon the Trust land had been asked to appear before him in LIT office with documents of the ownership, if any, on Monday.