Wall erected by Congress worker at Ram Bagh razed
The encroacher says he was only trying to beautify the garden and ensuring stray animals do not enter the area
AMRITSAR : As part of the anti-encroachment drive, the estate wing of district municipal corporation (MC) razed an illegal fencing and boundary wall which was being constructed by a Congress worker inside the historic Ram Bagh, commonly known as Company Bagh, near the Amritsar Club on Monday.
A team, led by estate officer Sushant Bhatia, carried the drive under the guidance of mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu and commissioner Harbir Singh.
“We were informed about the encroachment from the people, who visited the place for morning and evening walks. They said that someone was illegally making a boundary wall inside the Ram Bagh garden. During the raid, we found that information correct and it was learnt that the garden was being encroached by a Congress worker, Sanjeev Arora. The accused said that he was trying to beautify the garden for his personal uses and thus we razed the encroachment,” Bhatia said.
Sanjeev Arora said, “Around 300-400 people visit the garden daily for morning walks and yoga. The place is dotted by stray dogs and cattle. I constructed a boundary wall and fenced the garden to restrict animals from entering the garden. I intended to beautify it by planting flowers and plant saplings. The garden is open for all. How could i have encroached the land without fixing a gate?”
Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana high court had ordered to remove the concrete structures from the garden, including three clubs, after a patron of the Amritsar
We were informed about the illegal fencing from visitors. During the raid, we found that the garden was being encroached upon by Cong worker Sanjeev Arora. SUSHANT BHATIA, MC estate officer
Vikas Manch (NGO) filled a petition over the issue.
The Mughal-styled palace, which is located in the center of Ram Bagh, was completed in 1819 and was the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, founder of Sikh Empire in Punjab. Ram Bagh complex, including Ram Bagh Palace, has been declared as ‘protected monument’ by the state Government in 1997. It was also declared a monument of national importance in 2004. The restoration of the palace has been handed over to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
When contacted, Kulwant Singh Ankhi, president of Amritsar Vikas Manch, said, “It is illegal to construct anything in the protected area. Congress MLA Sunil Dutti is responsible for this act. Through RTI, I had collected information that the ASI had already filed 11 FIRS against the clubs, but nothing changed. The MC and district administration officials are making no efforts to protect the historic place.”
“MC officials should answer why they have not filled an FIR against Sanjeev Arora for encroaching the land and why they are not taking action against the clubs in the garden,” said Kulwant Ankhi.
However, estate officer Sushant Bhatia said, “We have already warned Sanjeev in the presence of Sunil Dutti. we have asked him not to repeat this again. We will lodge the FIR and take required action if he again repeats the mistake.”