The next date of hearing in contempt of court petition in High Court scheduled for September 26 Kuldip Bhatia Ludhiana, September 16 Even as the next date of hearing in the contempt of court petition (COCP no 3645 of 2017) against the Municipal Corporation and the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) for failure to remove encroachments from government land as per directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court is just about 10 days away, both respondents — MC and GLADA — are still passing the buck with regard to three encroachments involving about 6.2 acres in Dhandari Kalan Phase I and III and Sector 40 (on Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road). In the course of last hearing on July 23, the court had taken on record the affidavit filed by the GLADA Chief Administrator, which maintained that of the 12 encroachments on the government land, those on serial number 3 and 4 in Dhanadri Kalan Phase I and III were to be removed by the MC as the sites/scheme had been handed over to the civic body for maintenance. With regard to encroachments on 1.2 acre in Sector 40 having about 750 jhuggis, the GLADA CA said Rs 13.31 crore had been deposited with the MC for shifting and rehabilitation of the jhuggi dwellers at an alternative place under the scheme, Basic Services for the Urban Poor (BUSP). However, taking a divergent stand, the MC has washed its hands off the onus for removal of these encroachments while maintaining that the responsibility lied upon GLADA for clearing these encroachments. In a letter to the GLADA Chief Administrator, the Municipal Commissioner stated that after examining the relevant record, it was found that the maintenance of roads and parks in Dhandari Kalan Phase I and Phase III was handed over to the MC in March 2001, but the encroachments stated in the affidavit were existing prior to that period. Moreover, the unlawful occupants at these sites possess ration cards and electricity bills of the period prior to the time when these areas were handed over to MC. The Municipal Commissioner added that since the encroachments existed at the time when the areas were handed over to the MC and further that the building control remaining with GLADA, it was the responsibility of GLADA to remove encroachments of permanent nature located away from the roadside and include pucca structures (shops and houses). The MC has, however, made an offer that if found desirable, officials of the two bodies (MC and GLADA) could sit together and find an amicable way out to deal with the issue.

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