Trust cracks whip on illegal occupants

Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 20

In a major action, the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) attempted to vacate 95 flats from illegal occupants at Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Mall Mandi, here on Tuesday. Following a protest and threats of mass suicides, officials of the AIT gave them an ultimatum of 15 days to vacate the flats on their own otherwise the trust will forcefully put their belongings out from the flats. Officials and employees of the AIT, led by Superintending Engineer RK Garg, reached the spot this morning. The flats are meant for economically weaker section (EWS) under Mall Mandi scheme. A large number of police personnel were deployed to assist the AIT team. Officials claimed that 95 flats were illegally occupied, where inhabitants were stealing power from streetlight connections and some of them were involved in anti-social activities.

RK Garg, Superintending Engineer, Amritsar Improvement Trust, said: “I had issued notices to the illegal occupants in April, soon after joining. Additional Chief Secretary PSPCL complained that the occupants are stealing power from streetlights and we disconnected their connections. We have warned them several times. The flats belong to the AIT and we can’t allow anyone to occupy these properties illegally”.

The AIT employees managed to vacate a large number of flats. The occupants alleged that the employees deliberately damaged their hard-earned household items. Irked over the action, residents staged a protest and moved towards the nearby railway lines. The protesters, mainly comprising women, laid on the railway tracks at Jaura Fatak and threatened mass suicides. The police pacified them and intervened for negotiation between demonstrators and Amritsar Improvement Trust officials.

Later, Dinesh Bassi, Chairman, AIT, gave 15 days ultimatum to vacate the flats.

The occupants alleged that some AIT employees allowed them to stay in the flats and were collecting monthly rent from them. RK Garg said, “We found that some AIT employees were reportedly involved. We will investigate the claims of occupants and take action against the employees found guilty”.