Councillor claims to show proof in next meeting

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda,April 26

The probe panel constituted over encroachments in ponds today held its first meeting.

MCB officials claimed that no person had paid the property tax of Sanguana Basti pond.

Daring the officials, SAD councillor Santosh Mahant said he had proof and he would table it in the next meeting.

He asked if MCB officials would register an FIR against the accused.

MCB XEN Kishore Bansal said they didn’t have power to get the FIR registered against the accused but if he would provide details to ascertain how somebody paid the property tax of the pond.

In the meeting, it was decided that physical verification of the Sanguana Basti pond, DAV pond, Sanjay Nagar pond and Amarpura Basti pond would be done.

FIR would be registered against those who throw debris or encroach on the ponds, they said.

Councillors also demanded that desilting of ponds should be done at the earliest and they called for records of the ponds, which would be provided in the next meeting.

Santosh Mahant also raised an issue that in 2008, a boundary wall was constructed along the Sanguana Basti pond but it was demolished by someone and no probe was conducted in this regard.

Sanjay Biswal said the MCB should check records and issue notices to people who had encroached on the land of ponds.