Sidhu talks tough with officials

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 14

After a slew of suspensions in Amritsar, Mohali and Patiala, Navjot Singh Sidhu’s high-profile and whirlwind tour of Jalandhar spread panic among the office cadres.

Starting with immediate morning summons to top MC officials at Haveli, including MC Commissioner Basant Garg and many officials and suspended STP, MTP and ATPs, Sidhu’s tour remained high on reprimands and public shaming of officials.

Sidhu’s raids caused panic among the cadres, warnings of dismissal/suspension came in early as he pulled up building branch officials during his dramatic raids. Reprimanding them, he said, “Eh toori ch pin rakh ke gaya koi? Khatam karta tusi suba edda hee. Tuahde lalchan ne marte saare asi. Badanami meri hundi. Capt Sahib di. Dismiss karun main tuhanu sareyan nu. (This (building) isn’t a pin in a haystack. You have destroyed the state. Your greed has killed us. I shall dismiss you all.)

Sidhu was also confronted by officials, naming the MC Commissioner directly for lack of demolitions. At an illegal colony coming up at Gurusant Nagar — where the locked gate of a colony had to be broken for the minister to gain access into it — Sidhu asked Municipal Town Planner Meherbaan Singh how illegal colony and flats came up here, he named the MC Commissioner Basant Garg. Only to further be reprimanded by Sidhu – who further said to the Commissioner, “I ask him and he further names you.”

Aided by MLA Jalandhar Cantt Pargat Singh Sidhu visited different locations in the city along with Karnesh Sharma, Director, Local Government, Basant Garg, Commsisoner, Municipal Corporation, along with senior officials. While the Mayor Jagdish Raja and Deputy Mayor Pramajit Singh Bunty waited for Sidhu at the MC, in view of reports that he shall be coming to meet officials, it was only late in the afternoon that Sidhu reached the MC office.

In further indications during his press conference on the issue, Sidhu indicated that action might go upwards, “This is just the start.”

In various cities, Sidhu’s visit was followed by names of senior IAS officials being ousted or suspended, making MC cadres, including higher-ups and senior officials, tense.

Places Sidhu visited

Covering a whopping 35 sites — as per his own admission – of the 80 he initially had a list of, among the primary unauthorised properties listed by Sidhu as unauthorised or inadequate included unauthorised construction at Jassal Complex Dhilwan Road; Gurmohar City, where 8 to 10 acres of construction is being carried out without CLU, Virsat Haveli Master Tara Singh Nagar constructed without CLU; 15 shops near bus stand constructed without approval of building plans; Colony at Mohalla Dashmesh Nagar, Kala Sanghian Road, where infrastructure development work was carried out and two houses are being constructed as per unauthorised development.

Two units — independent floors on Kala Sanghian Road on approximately 1,200 square yard plot area — being constructed in an unauthorised manner; colony at Deol Nagar with infrastructure works in place and a house under unauthorised development.

Bajwa Colony near Gill Colony Khurla Kingra – a number of building works going on as unauthorised constructions. Sangha Chowk - three commercial buildings built without parking an on narrow road. Green Model Town – a commercial building which had been dismantled earlier has been reconstructed in an unauthorised manner.

Model Town – Liquor Adda building’s the rear side being constructed in an unauthorised manner. Burn Gym/Bombay Blossom Building and VLCC/Yes Bank – buildings constructed without parking, Sapra Tower inadequate parking, inadequate parking at new building started alongside Burn Gym; Model Town Papa Whisky Building as well as Chunmun Mall - The Brew Master Building - unauthorised construction and use of terrace floor – no fire escape, orders passed to seal it. Navsukh Enterprises Heat 7 – New Jawahar Nagar restaurant – SCO/SCF altered to enable massive unauthorised construction.