Silver Oaks township: Residents wait for action against colonisers

Bharat Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 4

After lodging a complaint with the police three months ago, residents of Silver Oaks Township are waiting for action against influential colonisers, who allegedly cheated them.

The residents claim of having purchased plots and houses in the colony years ago by paying the entire cost but the registration of these properties has not been done yet.

Dilapidated roads, wild bushes, stray dogs, space allocated for parks being used to dispose of sewage and supply of unsafe drinking water are the problems that the residents are facing.

The ground water is declared unfit following high content of magnesium, chloride and other hard metals found in it.

Besides, there is no proper sewerage system while the sewerage treatment plant emanating foul smell is situated near some houses.

The boundary wall is not constructed as per the norms and there is no fencing.

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

The committee ordered to provide registries of plots to the owners till October 30 and to arrangement of basic facilities for residents till November 30.

Over their demands, the residents have been protesting against managing director Inderjit Singh Brar, a businessman having partnership with ruling SAD MLA Sarup Chand Singla and his family members in a number of companies, but in vain.

Inderjit Singh Brar could not be contacted while Girdhari Lal, brother of Sarup Chand Singla, claimed to have disassociated himself from the township.

However, Tarik Garg, real estate officer-turned-sales manager claimed Sarup Singla and Girdhari Lal were directors in Silver Oaks Township.

He said, “Only one per cent people are left who are yet to get registries. We have assured them to do it soon. The facilities promised will be given but following demonetisation, roads could not get constructed. The ground water is fit for drinking. There are around 396 plots and the owners of 296 plots have not got their registry made even as we have issued notices to them.”

Residentspeak

Silver Oaks Residents Association general secretary Jagsir Singh Sahota said, “As per norms, around 25 per cent of plots from the township are supposed to be given to people belonging economically weaker sections (EWS), who cannot sell the plot/house to anyone for 10 years. But here, within a day, the owners sold plots to relatives or near and dear ones of the owners. The sewerage treatment plant has turned our life into hell with foul smell emanating from it. The parks are confined to papers. Stray dogs jump into the colony by crossing the boundary wall. The street lights are less than the requirement.”

“Around 10 per cent residents here at Silver Oaks Township purchased houses but registries were not given to them even as so many years have passed. Basic amenities, including drinking water, sewerage and sanitation are mandatory for every township before it starts selling houses or plots. The Silver Oaks management, without providing any facilities, were charging us the facility maintenance charges (FMC). The grievance committee has now ordered that only Rs 2 per sq yd will be charged from residents,” said president of the association, Shavinder Singh Sidhu.

“The committee members had ordered the township owners to construct the roads and maintain proper sewerage facility, besides making available drinking water till November 30 but nothing has been done in this regard. The dilapidated roads have become a nuisance for us,” said Amritlal Bansal, a resident of the township.

“I had taken loan from a bank and it’s a three party agreement. I am yet to get the registry of the house that I purchased in December 2013. I requested the managing director of the township a number of times, but in vain. I filed a complaint with the police in September this year but who will bell the cat? The owners are influential people. Girdhali Lal is brother of Akali MLA while Inderjit Singh Brar is associated with them in their business. So no action has been taken by the police,” said Dr Anil Nama, another resident.