GLADA tightens noose around violators

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, November 30

It is payback time for residents of low income group (LIG) flats in Dugri Urban Estate Colony, developed by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), as action is under way as per rules for illegal change of land use (CLU), violation of standard design and encroachment on adjoining public land, if any.

The violations in LIG flats by the allottees are rampant with most owners having converted front of rear portion of their residential units into shops while many of them have also encroached upon adjoining vacant land. The violators were having a free run as there was little or no enforcement or penal action by the GLADA authorities.

In a letter (No. EO/GLADA/Ldh/2018 dated November 19, 2018) to Rohit Sabharwal, president, Council of RTI Activists, an official of the engineering branch of GLADA 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 as per rules.

Earlier, Sabharwal had lodged a complaint with the Punjab Chief Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, alleging that most owners of flats had converted either the front or rear portion of their units into shops with some having encroached upon vacant land on the rear side of these flats.

“The flat owners have not only done illegal change of land use (CLU), but also changed their standard design in brazen violation of terms and conditions of allotment, which invites cancellation of allotment and resumption of property,” the complaint added.

In his complaint, Sabharwal had also charged the field staff and other GLADA officials for being 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.

He had demanded a vigilance probe into the violations by the allottees in order to find out role of GLADA officials in this affair so that responsibility of the guilty employees could be fixed and suitable disciplinary action be taken against them.

Meanwhile, it is yet to be seen as to what penal action is taken against the non-compoundable violations against the allottees. A GLADA official disclosed that for such violations the allotment of the property could be cancelled after giving due opportunity of being heard to the allottee.