RTI blows lid off encroachment nexus in Ludhiana

Times of India: Ludhiana: Sunday, 22 November 2015.

A piece of information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has blown the lid off the alleged nexus between some building inspectors and encroachers in the city. RTI activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira - who obtained the information under RTI - has received a letter wherein a head draftsman of MC had blown the whistle against the nexus of building inspectors and encroachers. However, the higher authorities concerned have neither taken any action against the persons who encroached public parks, nor against the officials concerned of the building branch responsible for this mess.

A letter that was written by a head draftsman of MC in April this year states that some of the building inspectors were allegedly hand-in-glove with encroachers at the time encroachments were done. While some encroachments were removed, other encroachers moved the court and the draftsmen concerned were forced to attend court hearings. The head draftsman also said that if officials of the building branch (building inspectors) had performed their duty honestly at the time encroachments were being done, then nobody would have needed to attend the hearings.

RTI activist Kuldeep Singh Khaira said that he had also given a complaint to MC commissioner GK Singh, and if even now the MC failed to take the action, then he would be forced to file a contempt petition in the high court, which had ordered MC to remove the encroachments. It is required to be mentioned here that of the total 46 identified encroachments, there are 15 religious encroachments, businesses are being run on 10 encroachments, and there are three liquor stores in the green belts. Besides, senior political leaders and influential persons have encroached different parks near their residences in different areas, including near Krishna Mandir in Model Town, and some others.

Meanwhile, MC additional commissioner Rishipal Singh said that he did not have any knowledge about the letter. However, he said he had asked officials to remove encroachments a few days ago in a meeting. Further, he said that soon encroachments would be removed, and if some building inspectors are caught, then action would be taken against them.