HC tells Secy, MC official to appear in person

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 7

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the Principal Secretary of Local Government and the Ludhiana Municipal Commissioner to appear before it in person in a case related to violation of building bylaws by hotels here.

“Finding that the learned counsel appearing for the state of Punjab and the Municipal Corporation of Ludhiana are unable to provide any assistance for want of instructions from the relevant quarters, we require the principal secretary, Department of Local Government, and the Commissioner, MC Ludhiana, to appear before us in person,” the court order reads.

The Chief Justice states: “After the aforesaid order was passed, we are informed that the commissioner is on election duty in Rajasthan and would come back on December 14. In such circumstances, we fix the matter for December 15 on which both officers shall appear in person.”

Notably, president of Council of RTI activists Rohit Sabharwal had moved the HC against the misuse of parking space and violation of building bylaws by 109 hotels in the city. Following the court orders, the MC had conducted a survey of these hotels.

According to a report prepared in March 2017 by the then Senior Town Planner of MC Ludhiana, the compoundable violations were found at 41 hotels while non-compoundable ones at 45 hotels. Besides, cases of three hotels were sub judice while several other hotels were found to be closed, not found or demolished. Of 109 hotels, 14 hotels were constructed on less than 100 sq yards, some on even less than 50 sq yards, the sources said. 

The ATP (Headquarters), SS Bindra, could not be contacted for comment.