Cops fail to stop work on encroached govt land

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, September 10

Despite the order by a Batala court, illegal construction on land belonging to the Municipal Committee (MC) in the Rampur Talwara area continues unabated.

MC President Harjit Singh Bhalla said the committee had moved court against one Ranjodh Singh for allegedly carrying out construction on 7-marla government land in the Rampur Talwara area, which falls in the jurisdiction of Ward No. 8.

“On September 7, the court directed the police to stop the ongoing work. However, the construction activity is going on in full swing. We approached Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Vipul Ujwal who directed Batala SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman to get the court directions implemented. SSP Ghuman further ordered SHO Balkar Singh to get the work stopped. However, the SHO is not acting as he is hand in glove with the encroacher,” alleged Bhalla.

The SHO, however, said he had been ordered to stop the work by September 16 and submit evidence in the court to this effect. “The orders clearly say the work should be immediately stopped, status-quo maintained and a final report be submitted by the SHO on September 16. The SHO is wilfully disrespecting the court orders just to give more time to Ranjodh Singh to complete the construction,” alleged Bhalla.

DC Ujwal, said: “I will inquire as to why the court order is not being followed.”