Concrete around trees: Bailable warrant issued to Ludhiana Improvement Trust Chairman

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, February 2

A local court has issued bailable warrant for the arrest of Raman Balasubramanium, Chairman of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), on Tuesday for his failure to personally appear before the court in a contempt petition filed by Council of Engineers (CoE) president Kapil Arora for non-compliance of directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of not covering bases of trees with concrete or tiles.

The court of Harsimranjit Singh, Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered attachment of salary of the LIT Chairman and his presence in the court on the next date of hearing against bailable warrant with surety of Rs 5,000.

On the last date of hearing of the petition on January 12, the court had issued directions for personal appearance of the LIT Chairman, along with the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation and Chief Administrator of GLADA.

As the hearing resumed yesterday, MC Superintending Engineer Rahul Gagneja appeared and stated in the court that the Commissioner Pradeep Sabharwal had gone to Chandigarh for an urgent meeting and further contended that the MC had started compliance of the orders.

Similarly, Navneet Kamboj, Divisional Engineer, appeared on behalf of the GLADA and informed the court that the Chief Administrator, being one of the Returning Officers for the Assembly Elections, was busy because February 1 was the last date for filing nomination papers by the candidates.

The court accepted the submission of both the officials but took serious note of the absence of the LIT Chairman who had failed to appear in the court without any valid reason.

The court rules: “With a disquieting note it is being observed that no one is present on behalf of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust, so much so that Chairman LIT is absent without any lawful justification. In view of the aforesaid contumacious conduct of LIT, salary of Chairman LIT is ordered to be attached and intimation in this regard be sent to quarters concerned. Let presence of Chairman LIT be secured through bailable warrants in the sum of Rs 5,000 with one surety in the like amount for February 22, 2022.”

The court further directed the respondents — Municipal Corporation, GLADA and Ludhiana Improvement Trust — to make necessary compliance of the orders of the NGT forthwith and submit status/action taken report on the next date.

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