Indian Express 31.12.2009
MC clears encroachments, traders cry foul
Accuse corporation of adopting ‘pick and choose’ policy
While the municipal corporation team is claiming to take a fair action against the ‘erring’ traders who encroach upon the government land, the shopkeepers on the Reikhi Cinema road have a different story to narrate.
They rue that a few dhabhas are on the MC land have been left untouched, while a few hotel owners have not even removed their four-feet wide encroachment.
Vikas Reikhi, owner of the Reikhi Cinema, however, said,”As per the MC records, the area outside my cinema hall is a green belt. Instead of developing this green area, the MC has decided to demolish it and turn it into a parking lot to facilitate dhabha owners.”
Parminder Mehta, area councillor, however, said the area in front of the Reikhi Cinema was not a green belt and was a part of the road. Most of the encroachments on the road had been removed and hence this should also go. We have no plans to turn it into a parking area.”
He was, however, quiet about the encroachment done by dhabas and many other hotels which have concrete construction on the MC road.
Meanwhile, zonal commissioner Vinod Sharda had stated that apart from removing pucca encroachments, even the shopkeepers will have to remove rehris and even pherris from outside their shops. “If any such encroachment is found, FIR will be registered against the erring shopkeeper for allowing the rehri or pherriwala to stand outside his shop,” said Sharda.
He made this announcement yesterday in Chaura Bazar and adjoining markets. It is not just Chaura Bazar but the entire Ludhiana is dotted with 50,000-odd rehris and pherris. Many shopkeepers are charging rentals ranging from Rs 15,00 to Rs 15,000 per month from vendors to stand outside their shops.
Meanwhile, the shopkeepers of Jawahar Nagar market who were given two-days have been given additional 4-5 days to remove their encroachments.
Councillor Kapil Kumar Sonu, said, “Most of the temporary encroachments have gone and now is the turn of the pucca encroachments which have to be removed.”
