No digging hole for erecting poles, tent houses warned

Installing tents on roads by digging holes to erect poles has emerged as a major public nuisance in this part of Malwa.Though the administration has ample powers to take punitive action against the offense and the nuisance, office bearers of civic bodies falling jurisdiction of rural and urban local bodies rarely take cognizance of potential damage and safety hazards as the potholed roads become more prone to accidents.

Advertisement

Residents have urged the authorities in civic bodies to launch a movement to sensitize masses about consequences of the malpractice and at least avoid damaging infrastructure for their meager benefits.

Residents alleged that successive governments had failed to take notice of the tendency that the elected representatives including Municipal Councilors, Sarpanches and Panches had shown gross irresponsibility towards prevention of damage to public property including roads, streets and drains.

Acknowledging the tendency Jaswinder Kaur Sharma, councilor at Ward Number 5, recollected that she had declined to attend a religious function that was held by installing a tent on Dehliz Road recently.

“On my insistence the organizers assured us to install a tent with the support of gazebos without digging holes in the road,” said Sharma appreciating that the tent was installed in a manner to cause minimum inconvenience to passersby.

Having received moral support from councilors led by President Vikas Krishan Sharma, authorities at the Municipal Council Ahmedgarh have initiated a process to curb the malpractice. Initially owners and organizers of Tent Houses at local town and surrounding localities have been warned against the consequences of digging holes to erect poles on roads.

Executive Officer Vikas Uppal said officials in various departments in the Council have been advised to ensure that strict action is taken according to the Punjab Municipal Act against all those who cause potential damage to public property including roads.

“Besides appealing to the residents to stop the malpractice, we have informed owners of all tent houses that installing tents by digging holes to insert pipes in interlock roads or metalled roads is strictly prohibited,” said Uppal.

The EO said that the violators would face strict legal action including cancellation of permissions and prosecution for damaging public property according to extant guidelines of the Municipal Act.

Hole made in a interlock block made by some tent house owner’s workers at newly build road at Gandhi Chowk.