MC razes illegal structures at Prem Nagar
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, July 6
Adhering to the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, teams of the Municipal Corporation, accompanied by around 450 policemen, including 100 woman police, demolished shanties, kutcha and pucca houses in the Prem Nagar area, near Hathi Complex, here today. The next date of hearing on a contempt-of-court petition in the High Court is July 17 and an action taken report has to be submitted to the High Court before that.
The MC teams with around eight JCB machines, MC vehicles and police force gathered near the Police Lines early morning. The drive started at around 9:30 am. Around 150 shanties, 40 kutcha and pucca houses were razed by the MC teams.
Six JCB machines razed structures simultaneously. The “owners” of illegal structures claimed they had been living here for the past over three decades and many of them had approached to the court.
Congress leaders cry foul
The area councillor, Gurpreet Gogi, who was at the spot along with other councillors, including Balkar Singh and Rakesh Prashar, alleged the authorities “deliberately” targeted the areas represented by Congress leaders. “They planned to carry out a drive at Pavittar Nagar, which is represented by Congress councillor Maharaj Raji. After a woman resident of Pavittar Nagar died, the authorities shifted the entire focus to Prem Nagar. Prior to this drive, the authorities demolished shops in the Karimpura area, which again was represented by a Congress councillor. We are not against the directions of the High Court. At the same time it should be a fair decision. The MC officials have spared the areas represented by the councillors of the BJP/SAD combine,” alleged Gogi.
Influential woman ‘spared’
The residents of the area, whose shanties were demolished, alleged that an influential woman of the area had encroached upon about 1,800 square yards and she was regularly charging rent from residents living on that piece of land. However, the authorities spared her as she had a good rapport with the ruling party leaders. On being asked why the particular pocket (in which there are around 13 or 14 houses) was spared, an official of the MC said: “They have moved the court and a hearing in the case was held on Monday. No directions were passed during the hearing. The next hearing is on July 16, so we did not take any action against this particular pocket,” said the official.
Certain persons, who were carrying documents in their hands, said they had been given three months’ time but the authorities did not wait till the expiry of that period (August 10) and rendered a large number of people homeless. “Will they demolish that pocket too if the court gives directions for the same on July 16? They cannot dare do so because it is shielded by influential leaders of the ruling party,” said Rakesh Kumar, a resident.
Residents said they paid rent regularly
Most residents said: “We regularly paid rent to certain persons of the area”. Geeta, an affected resident, said: “We used to pay a monthly rent up to Rs 1,500 to certain persons. Besides, we were paying regular electricity bills. But now, those persons are nowhere to be seen. They have locked the houses and fled. They have left us without a roof”.
