MC action against encroachments biased, say social activists

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 18

Questions have been raised over the alleged partial action taken by the Municipal Corporation (MC) against Illegal kiosks at Majitha Road.

Social activists have been demanding to raze all illegal kiosks from Ghala Mala Chowk to ESI Hospital.

Though the Estate Office had razed around 40 kiosks on Wednesday morning, a large number of them are still present there.

However, MC officials said they did not pick and choose while removing the encroachments.

They claimed that the kiosks were installed during the past few months and Mayor and councillors wanted to remove the same on a priority basis.

As per information, the MC used to charge some fee from those vendors who have established their kiosks before 2006.

A number of kiosk owners in the city had approached local courts to claim the ownership rights of land. The MC avoids to take action against kiosks build before 2006.

Parmodh Bali, a social activist, who is pursuing court cases against encroachments, said: “The MC has removed some kiosks installed recently. The action against the encroachments should not be partial.

All kiosks should be removed without any bias. The encroachments cause hurdle to the vehicular traffic and trouble commuters. Hence, no one should be exempted.”

Jaswinder Singh, Estate Officer, MC: “It was the first action and we will take such initiatives soon. We have no priority list and there are no political pressure to exempt someone from it. All illegal encroachments will be removed.”