RWA members protest at Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran office against stilt-plus-four scheme in Panipat

Enraged over the decision taken by the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) to allow the stilt-plus-four scheme in the residential sectors during the model code of conduct, the members of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) of various sectors on Friday staged a protest at Estate Office (EO) of HSVP in Sector 18 here.

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The members alleged that the decision had been taken by the caretaker state government under the pressure of builders, and the opinion of 268 RWAs was being ignored.

The members from Sector 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 24, 25 part 1 and 2 and 29 part 1 and 2, led by Baljeet Singh, convener, Haryana Sectors’ Confederation, raised slogans against the HSVP officers and BJP government. Member SK Tyagi presided over the protest.

Baljeet said that the government has misled the sector residents and gave the permission for stilt-plus-four.

He further alleged that the HSVP has also misled the High Court by giving permission for stilt-plus-four scheme.

“Chairman Yashvir Malik has also filed a complaint to the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Officer, Haryana, about the permission given to the stilt-plus-four in the middle of the elections,” Baljeet asserted.

He further said residents would be badly affected after implementation of this decision.

“We started a protest at the EO office at 9 am and ended at 11.30 am but no officials, including executive officer, executive engineer, sub-divisional officer or junior engineer were present during our protest so we submitted a memorandum to the superintendent,” Baljeet Singh said.

Despite the problem related to lack of basic amenities having been brought to the notice of the HSVP’s chief administrator, no change had taken place on the ground, he added.

Baljeet said that the sectors have been divided into three separate departments. Some sectors are under HSVP, some under Municipal Corporation while others are being maintained by the HSIIDC.

The protesting RWA members said that the residents were forced to face a lot of problems due to lack of basic amenities. There was no sweeping or garbage collection being done in the sectors for the last one year.

No one is taking care of the sewerage problems in the sectors, the residents alleged. The roads were badly pot-holed, street lights were lying non-functional, supply of potable water and drainage of storm water was poorly managed and heaps of garbage were a common scene.

The residents were paying all development, water and sewage charges to the authorities regularly but no one heeded to their genuine problems, the protesting residents alleged.

They also accused the HSVP officials and said the encroachment on green belts of the sectors has been increased due to officials’ apathy.