Health centre building violates bylaws: Residents

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, October 21

In a typical case of not practicing what one preaches, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has itself encroached upon part of a road in the posh Model Town locality for construction of Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) under the National Health Mission.

For extension of a room outward towards the main road (opposite the post office), the health branch of the MC, which constructed the UPHC building, has flouted all building bylaws. It has also led to encroachment upon a part of the road, which tantamount to an offence.

Officials of the health wing of the MC assert that the building where the UPHC has come up is an old construction on the civic body land. Meanwhile, residents of the area allege that the old building was renovated and one room was extended outward towards the main road for reasons unknown.

“The unlawful extension/encroachment on the public road creates hindrance in smooth flow of traffic. Moreover, encroachment on the road either by the MC or the Health Department, which runs the UPHC, is an indirect encouragement to those, who have encroached upon government land or public roads/streets in the city,” said Arvind Sharma, secretary, Council of Right To Information Activists, who had filed a complaint with the Municipal Commissioner and the Department of Local Government, Punjab, in this connection.

Officials of the building branch of the Municipal Corporation said, “On the face of it, the extension of room towards the public road seems to be an encroachment.”

“However, a definite conclusion will be drawn only after a spot report from the field staff is received and clarification sought from the Public Works Department (Building and Roads), Punjab, which has constructed building of the Urban Primary Health Centre,” said another official of the civic body.

The issue

The outward extension of a room of the Urban Primary Health Centre not only floutes all building bylaws of the Municipal Corporation, but also causes encroachment on the main road opposite the post office.