Alleging harassment at hands of MC officials, couple holds protest

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 17

Accusing officials of the Municipal Corporation (MC) of harassment and refusing to further entertain their application, which was submitted under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana four years ago, a labourer couple staged a protest outside the civic body’s Zone A office on Wednesday.

The couple said they had applied for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in 2016, but got a reply from the MC now that the plot where they had started construction of their house was outside the civic body’s jurisdiction and they could not avail benefit under the scheme.

Lal Jha (40) said, “The application to avail the scheme was filed under name of my wife Meera (36) in 2016. After making several rounds of the MC office since then, our documents were accepted. We then got a notice this year to start construction of house and the government will pay amount to us under the scheme.”

“We had no money to construct our house. So, we took a loan of Rs 1 lakh. Before starting construction of the house at Ashiyana Colony, near Jassian, we requested MC officials to visit the plot, but they refused to do so. They asked us to start construction of the house. The MC staff had assured us that Rs 1.5 lakh will be paid under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana,” he added.

“Now, we have got a reply that our plot is outside the MC jurisdiction. Civic body officials claim that we can’t avail benefit of the scheme. It is injustice with us,” he said.

“I am a labourer and unable to return the loan amount. I am father of four children. My family and I appeal to the MC authorities to look into the matter and do justice,” he added.