MC told to submit action taken report by July 25

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 22

The office of Additional Chief Secretary, Local Government, has asked the Commissioner Municipal Corporation to send an Action Taken Report (ATR) regarding 229 buildings in all four zones (A-D), which have been constructed in utter violation of building bylaws.

The letter sent by the Local Bodies Departments reads: “The MC Commissioner may kindly get all points in issue as raised in the complaint, inquired into, take action immediately and accordingly send the Action Taken Report via email by July 25.”

RTI activist Rohit Sabharwal had filed a complaint to the higher authorities in Chandigarh, after he sought an information through RTI about buildings constructed in the city from January 1, 2015, to July 4, 2016, having non-compoundable violations (violations, which are to be demolished).

The authorities took almost a year to provide the reply and it was told that there were 115 such buildings in Zone A, 79 in Zone B, 32 in Zone C and 33 in Zone D. Barring a handful, no action was taken against these buildings which stand tall in te city.

Surprisingly, the building branch of the MC had sent notices to the buildings, but no stern action was taken and portions of a few buildings were removed, which was nothing but an eye-wash. As the MC did not take any appropriate action against the violations, the activist sent letters to all big-wigs, including the Chief Minister, Minister for Local Bodies, alleging that such buildings could not mushroom in the city without the connivance of the MC staff. And, for vested interests, the MC staff was slyly helping violators in carrying on with their unethical activities.

The Additional Chief Secretary has asked MC authorities to get all details regarding these buildings and submit a report by July 25.

Ludhiana district has the maximum number of illegal buildings in Punjab and it is not possible to construct buildings in utter violation of building bylaws without political patronage, connivance of officials and this has been admitted by former commissioners of MC too.