D’sala Mayor accuses HPCA of usurping land

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 22

Mayor of the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation Rajni has accused the HPCA of usurping 2.5 kanal land of a widow in Dharnu village that was now part of the corporation.

The Mayor has directed the officials of the corporation to stop unauthorized construction being carried out by the HPCA at its Pavallion Hotel. She has also written to the SDM for getting the land on which the hotel was being constructed demarcated.

The Mayor said a large number of people had been coming to her regarding the “illegal construction” being carried out by the HPCA at its hotel. The demarcation of the land has proved that the HPCA has usurped the land of a poor widow.

The contractor has dumped his material on the common land that was used by people of Dharnu village. The people used the common land as playground for their children.

She further alleged that the people were alleging that their paths have been obstructed and their water sources (kuhls) have been damaged due to the construction of the hotel. She also alleged that about 100 construction labourers working on the site had not been provided any toilet facility and were defecating in open. It defeats the purpose of the Swachh Bharat campaign.

Sanjay Sharma, a spokesperson of the HPCA, has denied the charges. He alleged that a person was raising illegal construction at the entrance of the hotel. “We had complained against it to the corporation. The person has been carrying out a smear campaign against the HPCA as his illegal construction has been stopped”.