Bains accuses pvt player of encroaching on MC land

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 12

About 3,000 square yard of the green belt of the Municipal Corporation on the posh Ferozepur Road, the price of which would be in several crores, has been encroached upon by a private player— a close associate of the Badals, said Lok Insaf Party MLA from Atamnagar constituency Simarjit Singh Bains.

Levelling allegations against Gurdeep Singh Jujhar of Fastway cable that he has encroached upon the government land, Bains said: “Not just that, the entire sixth floor of the Grand Walk Mall, where a pub is being run, has been constructed illegally, but the MC authorities never dared to take any step against the ‘big-fish’ as Jujhar has been a blue-eyed boy of the Badals.

Bains said: “The countdown has begun. We are not going to remain silent on the issue. A total of 3,000 square yard of land on Ferozepur Road, which is the green belt of the MC, has been conveniently converted into a parking lot, where inter-locking tiles have been laid by the Jujhars.”

“The sixth floor of the Mall, where R2P is being run, has been constructed illegally without the approval of building maps. The MC authorities leave no stone unturned in demolishing the illegal shanties of the poor, but why no action was taken here? We are not going to sit quiet and the MC needs to take back the possession of land. Besides, action should be taken against the influential too, as law is equal for all,” Bains said.

Municipal Town Planner SS Bindra, on being asked about the allegations levelled by Bains, however, said: “The 3,000 square yard of green belt area of the MC was in a shambles and there was no maintenance. It was cleaned and interlocking tiles were put by the Jujhars, but the area was never included within the Mall premises. That chunk of land is still lying vacant. We can take its possession anytime. But as far as the sixth floor of the Grand Walk Mall is concerned, it is constructed in an illegal manner and once we get orders from the higher-ups, we will take quick action (demolition).”

Meanwhile, commenting on the issue, Gurdeep Jujhar of Fastway network said: “It is a friendly-match between Bains and Minister for Local Bodies Navjot Singh Sidhu. They are targeting me. They have failed to prove the allegations into the so-called Fastway cable scam and now, have taken another irrelevant issue. I have not encroached upon any MC land. Rather, it is being maintained for free and is being used by all for parking vehicles. It is their land, they can get possession anytime. Secondly, we have sought the approval of the sixth floor from the MC, where R2P is being run,” Jujhar said.

Receives flak from Cong

MLA Simarjit Singh Bains’ latest allegation that 3,000 sq yard of MC’s green belt has been encroached upon, has drawn criticism from the Congress leader Ishwarjot Singh Cheema. In a statement issued here on Saturday, Cheema said: “Simarjit Bains was one of the trusted stooges of the Badals. With the change of guard, he changed sides. When the land was given, building plans approved and the building constructed, Bains was hand in glove with those against whom he has now opened up a front.  So, morally he is a partner in this crime.” Cheema claimed that Bains was trying to please Navjot Singh Sidhu by showing loyalty to his cause. The Congress leader claimed that Bains bid to woo Sidhu was for seeking favours from him in the local government department as the MC elections weer due shortly.