Chandigarh: Encroachments, complaint against AAP councillor rock MC House

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Chandigarh, August 27

Alleging that the Municipal Corporation has become a “den of corruption” with officials of the enforcement wing conniving with encroachers, mostly street vendors, councillors have demanded a major rejig of the branch besides changing the duty timings to evening.

The issue of widespread encroachments along with a complaint against AAP councillor Jasbir Singh Laddi dominated the MC House proceedings today.

Taking notice of encroachments, UT Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh, who has the additional charge of MC Commissioner, asked Joint Commissioner Isha Kamboj to prepare an action plan and submit a report to him, while adding that those encroachments, which can be removed immediately, should be acted upon straightaway.

Taking up the issue, BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi told MC secretary GS Sodhi and Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor that he had asked questions related to encroachments one month ago under the relevant Sections of the civic body Act, but those had not been tabled in House. Isha, who is in charge of the enforcement wing, did not even care to answer the questions despite the intervention of Sodhi and Dhalor.

“People are hassled. It seems the officer concerned is not answering the questions in order to save subordinates. The MC has become a den of corruption. Money is collected on a daily basis,” alleged Joshi.

AAP councillor Damanpreet Singh alleged, “Money is taken even to change trade of registered vendors. Illegal vendors being allowed to operate is a contempt of court orders.” AAP councillor Prem Lata demanded that the enforcement wing staff should have timings from afternoon till 10 pm as most vendors run business after 7 pm when the staff are off-duty.

“Registered vendors should wear their identity cards while doing business. It has come to light that members of the same family operate at separate place by using the copies of the valid licence issued to a single person,” she added.

BJP councillor Rajinder Sharma shared, “Southern housing societies fall in my ward. All illegal vendors have information in advance about raids by the enforcement team. One of the vendors admitted he paid Rs 15,000.”

They sought the transfer of the enforcement staff members who have been posted in the wing for the past many years.

AAP councillor seeks action against ex-officer

Earlier, Laddi sought action against a former officer, who, he alleged, was behind attaching the plaint against him with the agenda, and demanded teh latter should apologise in House. He alleged there were mala fide intentions behind this move.

Change duty timings

AAP councillor Prem Lata demanded that the enforcement wing staff should work from afternoon till 10 pm as most vendors run business after 7 pm when the staff are off-duty.