GLADA faces pressure to take action against violators in LIG flats

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, March 19

Although the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) had issued notices to allottees of LIG (lower income group) flats in Dugri Urban Estate for violation of standard design and illegal change of land use (commercial use of residential property) in November 2018, no follow-up action had apparently been taken by the sale/allotment branch against the violations.

However, taking note of a complaint lodged by Council of RTI Activists president Rohit Sabharwal, the Housing and Urban Development Department, Punjab, has directed the GLADA Chief Administrator to take immediate action against the defaulting allottees for illegal change of land use and violation of building bylaws.

In a memo (no. 13/255/18-3HB2/1436881 dated March 12, 2019) the Housing and Urban Development Department has referred to another letter sent to GLADA (on November 29, 2018) in this regard while directing the GLADA authorities to take necessary action, as per rules, against the violators under intimation to the government and the complainant.

Earlier, in the information provided to Rohit Sabharwal under the Right to Information Act (vide letter no. EO/GLADA/Ldh/2018 dated November 19, 2018) GLADA officials had stated that a survey of commercial activities being carried out in LIG flats (in violation of terms and conditions of allotment) was conducted by the field staff and the report forwarded to the allotment branch for further action against the offenders as per rules.

Based on the information provided by GLADA, Sabharwal had lodged a complaint with Punjab Chief Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary, Housing and Urban Development department which said the LIG flat owners had not only done illegal change of land use (CLU), but also changed the standard design in brazen violation of terms and conditions of allotment, which warranted cancellation of allotment and resumption of property.

Pointing an accusing finger at GLADA officials, the complainant had said the field staff and supervisory officials were hand in glove with the violators, which, he said, was evident from no action worth the name having been taken in any of the numerous cases of gross misuse of LIG flats.

The GLADA Estate Officer Sonam Chaudhary said after issuing statutory show-cause notices to the allottees where illegal change of land use was identified, instruction have now been issued to the sale branch for issuing notices for cancellation of allotment or discontinuation of commercial activity forthwith. In case of non-compliance, allotments of such LIG flats would be cancelled and action initiated for resumption of properties.