Silver Oaks colony residents block road on I-Day

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 16

Residents of Silver Oaks Township staged a protest and blocked the main road for more than an hour, despite threats by the police, over not getting registries of their properties even after paying full cost.

They had earlier too protested several times against managing director Inderjit Singh Brar, a businessman, having partnership with Bathinda MLA Sarup Singla and his family members, but all in vain.

They said about 20 per cent residents of the township, who had purchased houses, were awating registries even as years have passed.

Besides, they are also protesting over basic amenities, including drinking water, sewerage, sanitation and others. In June this year, a number of residents staged a protest and held a march near the colony against the management for not providing basic facilities and charging against the rules.

They alleged that the Silver Oaks management had increased the facility maintenance charges (FMC) by about 15 per cent.

General secretary of the Silver Oaks Residents Association Jagsir Singh Sahota claimed that many people had purchased houses here in good faith but they were not given the registries.

“The owners are influential people with political connections. The police used to threaten us even if we protested peacefully. For the last three days, there have been no drinking water in the township. There are no basic amenities but there is no intervention by the authorities. Even the FMC charges were levied against the rules,” he added.

He said On August 3, a seven-member committee was formed that included Municipal Commissioner Anil Garg, assistant town planner, MD of township Inderjit Singh Brar, estate officer and others, besides the 10 members of the Silver Oaks Residents Welfare Association to look into the matter.

Sahota said, “We are demanding facilities such as construction of roads, maintenance of parks and green cover. There is no sewerage system and sewerage treatment plant. The sewage is being disposed of in an open area near the Cantonment. There are many stray dogs and no drinking water in the colony. We also demand adeqaute number of street lights.” Municipal Commissioner Anil Garg could not be contacted while manager Inderjit Singh Brar did not respond to messages and several phone calls over the query by Bathinda Tribune.