MC crackdown on illegal buildings

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 20

The Town Planning wing of the Municipal Corporation has started a drive to seal illegal properties in the city.

Initially, the wing has identified 15 illegal buildings, which will be sealed. According to officials of the wing, five buildings have been sealed till the date and the remaining buildings will be sealed soon.

Meanwhile, the wing is also going to conduct a survey to identify the illegal buildings in the city. Minister for Local Bodies Navjot Singh Sidhu asked the MC officials to submit the list of illegal buildings constructed in the city on Friday. Sidhu asked the officials concerned to give details of every illegal building constructed by flouting the norms.

The officials have claimed that they will submit the list soon.

Narinder Sharma, Municipal Town Planner, said, “We have been taking strict action against the violators. We have sealed five major building and more than 10 buildings are on our list. We will not exempt anyone. A survey will be conducted soon to identify other illegal buildings.”

Officials of the MC have claimed that they have been facing a shortage of staff, which is a major hurdle in implementing the government’s directions.

As per the information, around 50 per cent posts in the town planning wing of the MC have been lying vacant.