Filing report in week a tough task for civic body

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It won’t be easy for us to complete the inquiry report on all the buildings in seven days. We will need at least ten days. LAKHBIR SINGH, assistant town planner

JALANDHAR: After failing to submit an inquiry report on all the 93 illegal buildings in the city, completing the work by the new deadline of July 20 may not be possible for the municipal corporation due to shortage of staff and many employees busy in dealing with cases filed by those, whose buildings have been sealed.

“It won’t be easy for us to complete the inquiry report on all the buildings in seven days. We will need at least ten days. We have already communicated our problem to municipal commissioner Vishesh Sarangal,” said assistant town planner Lakhbir Singh.

Singh said that several hotels, restaurants and other building owners, whose premises have been sealed by the vigilance department or the civic body have now moved to the court against the local bodies department.

“I’m just returning after attending a hearing of a case in the Punjab and Haryana high court filed by Liquor Adda 5 against the municipal corporation. Many owners, whose buildings have been sealed, have moved the court. Brew Master, Papa Whiskey and WJ Grand Hotel are among them. Along with preparing the report, we are also dealing with legal suits at present,” he added.

After local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu suspended eight officials of the building branch, including a senior town planner (STP) and a municipal town planner (MTP), for dereliction of duty, the building branch of the civic body is now left with only nine inspectors, two head draftsmen and an assistant town planner (ATP), being the senior most official in the department.

During a meeting with the local bodies minister in Chandigarh on Monday, mayor Jagdish Raja was asked by Sidhu to submit the report by the next week. The report should also separate the compoundable and non-compoundable offences, he said.The report on around 34 out of 93 illegal buildings, prepared by the civic body in haste, was regarded as incomplete by the minister as it did not carry details of compoundable and non-compoundable offences.