No check on illegal buildings

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, March 17

Even as the Ludhiana Improvement trust (LIT) has been drawing flak from various quarters for slack enforcement of building control (bylaws and illegal change of land use), illegal construction of residential houses and commercial buildings is going on with impunity in E block of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar colony in the pocket of 40 square yard plots.

In a complaint lodged with the Punjab Local Bodies Minister – with copies to Principal Secretary, Local Government, Punjab and Director, Local Bodies, Punjab, Council of RTI Activists secretary Arvind Sharma has said that owners of (40 sq yds) residential plots were violating building bylaws.

“In a large number of houses, there is 100 per cent coverage against the laid down norms, stairs have been constructed in house line and some of the houses seem to be in the process of converting their front portions into shops (illegal change of land use) which grossly violates the terms and conditions of allotment,” says the complaint.

Sharma said the matter had been brought to the notice of field staff (JEs), as well as their supervisory officials without any positive response so far. He alleged that certain officials were apparently in cahoots with the offenders, which was evident from the feverish pace of illegal construction activity that was going on this particular pocket.

The LIT Superintending Engineer, RK Garg, said he had received complaints of violations by allottees of 40 sq yd plots. “The field staff has been asked to submit a spot inspection report after identifying all violations after which action as per law would be taken against those carrying out illegal construction. After the inquiry, officials and field staff who had failed to enforce the building control would also be proceeded against,” he added.