With violations galore, Punjab Civil Sectt a virtual tinderbox

Devinder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 8

Like charity, illegal encroachments too begin at home and what better example than the Punjab Civil Secretariat where such violation by senior officers and ministers have come to light.

Such violations are not only against the heritage status of the building but pose a security hazard and would also hamper rescue work in case of a fire accident.

These points have been raised by the UT Administration over the past many months but to no avail. The Punjab authorities have not only failed to reply to the letters but have also not dismantled the temporary structures erected in the balconies and verandas of the secretariat. The indifferent attitude of the Punjab authorities in this context was also decried by the department.

A letter by the Engineering Department tasked with the upkeep of the building draws the attention of the authorities to the encroachments which pose a lot of problems to the maintenance staff while attending to leakages, opening rain water pies and fixing of glass panes. Also if any glass panel falls it would be fatal to the employees/ visitors visiting the building.

The violators not only include senior bureaucrats and ministers but also the office of the Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal. To create more space for staff and visitors, all the verandas and balconies from the second floor to the ninth floor have been covered with inflammable material. This poses a fire hazard with no space for fire personnel to evacuate the building in case of a fire accident.