Residents protest inclusion of Baijnath rural areas in TCP Act
Palampur, September 2
Hundreds of residents from rural areas of Baijnath today held a protest in front of the office of the Baijnath SDM, opposing the inclusion of rural areas of Baijnath within the purview of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act. Last week, the state government had issued a notification, bringing over 125 panchayats of Palampur and Baijnath subdivision under the purview of the TCP, making it mandatory for residents to get their building plan approved.
A large number of people from lower and upper areas of Baijnath took out a procession in Baijnath and staged a dharna in front of the office of the SDM, demanding immediate withdrawal of the notification.
Addressing a gathering in front of the Mini Secretariat, half a dozen panchayat pardhans said if their areas were included in the jurisdiction of the TCP, it would be difficult for people to even construct a cowshed. They claimed that innocent people would be harassed by the TCP as people had a bitter experience with the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) at Bir Billing. They said neither panchayats nor their MLA were taken into confidence by the government, and a notification was issued overnight.
Talking to The Tribune, a number of residents said if the government failed to withdraw the notification, they would resort to direct action and start an indefinite fast and also block the Pathankot-Mandi national highway. They said it was surprising and shocking that the local MLA, who was also Chief Parliamentary Secretary in the Sukhu government, was not consulted before the issuance of the notification. They claimed that a pick-and-choose policy was adopted by the government, and only selected rural areas of Palampur and Baijnath had been targeted. In other Assembly constituencies, no rural areas had been included, they stated.
The residents of Gunehar, Bhattu and Sansal areas are already on the warpath for the past one week for inclusion of their villages in the jurisdiction of the Bir Billing SADA. These panchayats had also staged a dharna in front of the SDM’s office last week.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Baijnath MLA Kishori Lal said he had spoken to the Chief Minister today, urging him to keep rural areas out of the purview of the TCP. The government respected the sentiments of people and a decision would be taken keeping in view public concerns,” he added.
