Illegal use of government land
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Nov 10 — Those authorised to legitimise power connections are themselves following unauthorised means to run their trade.

Ignoring law, certain private electrical contractors, who are given licence by the Chief Electrical Inspector, Punjab, to issue test reports for electricity connections, have set up stalls in front of the 66 KV sub-substation of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) in Phase 1 here.

A table, a few chairs, a board announcing the type of services being provided and some other paraphernalia are all which form part of 'temporary shops' set up by the licence holders.

An official of the PSEB, on condition of anonymity, said that the electrical contractors are given licence to run their trade from an authorised premises. The licence in no way authorises them to encroach upon government land and that, too, right in front of an office of the Senior Executive Engineer, Special Operation Division.

Explaining the working of the licence holders, the official said that by sitting in front of the local office of the PSEB, they attract their customers. The contractors also boast of dealing all kinds of connection formalities.

Last year, the then Chief Electrical Inspector had removed the 'temporary shops' but now they are again back. The Chief Electrical Inspector has again been apprised of the problem by the officials concerned, said the sources.

A haven for property dealers
From Vishal Joshi
From Our Correspondent

NAYAGAON (KHARAR), Nov 10 — This sleepy village has become a haven for property dealers out to make a quick buck. Local residents allege that agricultural land is being taking up for developing into colonies by these property dealers who have strong connections that given them immunity from any action by PUDA.

As Chandigarh and the townships of SAS Nagar and Panchkula are getting crowded, people are moving to the peripheral areas in search of reasonably priced land.

Kansal, Nayagaon and other surrounding areas have been witnessing a rapid growth of building activity for the past four years. This unplanned growth has created problems for the local residents. The property dealers are offering handsome prices to the farmers for their land.

Mr Partap Singh, a villager in his late seventies, said that the village had plenty of agricultural land but with the advent of these estate agents, the owners have started selling their lands to high prices. Lack of interest in the hard labour involved in agriculture lures the villagers into selling their lands.

A number of residents demand the formation of a local body. Considering the population of this area and its poor development, despite its proximity to the state capital, a local body is needed, they opine. They also complain that the authorities are overlooking the role of property dealers in their campaigns to remove illegal construction. Only those who had invested their savings in building houses were made to suffer and no action was taken against the property dealers who were at the root of the problem.

At present, a demand for the setting up of a notified area committee (NAC) in the area is being aired, says Mr Prakash, who has built a house here. The property dealer had assured him at the time the deal was made, that the construction would be be regularised but it had not been done and now they feared that the houses they had built with their hard earned money were in the danger of being pulled down.

Unplanned growth has created numerous civic problems. The increased population has put a strain on the water supply system. Because of the increase in water consumption, the pressure in several areas remains low.

Garbage disposal is another problem that bothers the residents. The lanes are littered with filth and can lead to the outbreak of some disease. The waste material left after construction remains piled in the streets. Roads that are used for unloading bricks and other construction material have developed cracks and potholes and are rarely repaired.