JALANDHAR: Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday gave a two-week deadline to the Jalandhar mayor to act against illegal buildings and colonies. Similarly, the Ludhiana mayor got a month-long deadline. Sidhu met both the mayors separately and gave them time to act against illegal construction.It has now become clear that after cracking down on illegal colonies and buildings in Jalandhar, Sidhu would focus on Ludhiana next. The minister told both the mayors to set their respective houses in order and report back after the deadlines assigned to them. Jalandhar mayor Jagdish Raj Raja met Sidhu at his office along with Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, local MLAs Pargat Singh, Rajinder Beri and Bawa Henry. Jalandhar West MLA Sushil Rinku, who had openly opposed Sidhu's action, stayed away from the meeting. "I was busy due to some engagement in Jalandhar so I could not go there," Rinku told TOI, when asked about the reason for skipping the meeting. The meeting was held after Rinku, Beri and the Jalandhar MP had expressed reservations about the action initiated by the local bodies' minister and then action was suspended till meeting with Sidhu. Only Pargat was clear on the issue while Henry was taking a middle path and avoided controversy. Sidhu told TOI that he had told the Jalandhar mayor to act against all 93 buildings or illegal colonies, a list of which is already with him and the MC and to report back after that. "They can act against more illegal areas als," he said. "I will return after two weeks," he said.

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