Langar, chabeels on roadsides? Amritsar MC fails to respond to RTI query

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 6

An RTI activist has been asking the Amritsar Municipal Corporation to provide a record of the approvals sanctioned to religious and social bodies to organise langars and chhabeels, but the MC has not responded since September 2012.

Naresh Johar, a local RTI activist, has filed an application under the RTI Act with the MC to provide the record of how many residents get the approval to organise langars on roadsides from the MC and the the number of challans issued to those who violated the MC rules.

“In 2011, the MC had issued instructions to take prior permission to organise langars or chhabeels on roadsides. It is good to organise langars to provide food to the needy. The MC has set some rules in this regard and asked the residents to get its permission. Now, when the rules exist, the MC should clear what is the total number of applicants who seek the MC’s permission to organise a langar. If no one is getting permission, the MC should tell the number of challans issued to violators. I have filed an RTI application to provide a record of the money collected through challans. But the MC is not responding to my application. I sent a reminder in March 2022,” said the activist.

After waiting long for the MC response, Johar filed an appeal with the Information Commissioner for a hearing on the issue.

“I have no problem with langars and chabeels, but if there are some rules, then the MC should implement them. They have to keep a check on such events and collect fine for violations, otherwise they have to withdraw the orders,” said Johar.

It may be mentioned that the MC had shown some strictness in organising religious functions by blocking roads after the rail tragedy on Dasehra in 2018. But such roadside events usually go unnoticed.

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