The Hindu   04.08.2012

‘Encroached properties will be recovered’

Minister for Municipalities and Local Bodies Balachandra Jarakiholi on Friday said officials had been instructed to submit a report on encroachment of properties belonging to city municipal councils, town municipal councils and town panchayats in the State to the Department by August 31.

He said steps would be taken to recover encroached civic amenity sites and parks. The issue related to encroachment of properties of municipalities was debated during the just-concluded legislature session.

Mr. Jarakiholi, who reviewed the works undertaken by the department, told mediapersons the State Government has decided to take up road development and drainage works in areas coming under municipalities at a cost of about Rs 1,100 crore.

A total of 4,500 km roads would be asphalted by spending Rs. 20 lakh per km of road. Drainage works worth Rs. 247 crore would be taken up during the current financial year, he said. A committee headed by district in-charge ministers would identify roads to be developed and areas for drainage works. A sum of Rs. 74 crore has been released to urban local bodies to meet drinking water requirements, he said.

The Indian Express  02.08.2012

HC bans illegal constructions in Zirakpur

The Municipal Corporation is in the process of serving notices for illegal structures that are blocking access to main water and sewerage pipelines. 100 notices have already been served in Maloya.

The unchecked growth of encroachments and unregulated construction in colonies has made the water and sewerage pipes very difficult to reach for the staff of the Municipal Corporation in case repairs need to be carried out. The water and sewerage pipelines are laid underground, and over the years the residents of the colonies have encroached upon the land under which the pipes were laid.

Superintending Engineer (Public Health) R C Diwan says that while 100 notices have been sent, a few thousand more will be sent over the next few weeks.

The Municipal Corporation woke up to the problem of these constructions on pipelines after a recent outbreak of diarrhoea in Mauli Jagran, where the supply of dirty water was found to be the reason for the disease. Recently, when residents of Maloya complained of dirty water being supplied to them and the civic body went to conduct checks in the area, it found that the pipelines there were inaccessible.

In many places, instead of the one-room tenament for which space had been allotted, residents have constructed triple storey houses. Apart from putting pressure on the existing infrastructure, the constructions block access as they have been built just above the space where the pipelines had been laid. Officials of the Municipal Corporation have not been able to access the pipelines to conduct repairs. They say that in case repairs must be done, the houses of the residents will have to be dug up. The Estate Office allegedly turned a blind eye to the encroachments that took place over the years, it is posing numerous problems now.

Councillor Subhash Chawla said that there have been instances when blocked pipelines had to be cleared in his ward. However, the residents did not agree to their house being dug up for cleaning the pipelines. He added that residents encroach on government land and then demand money in case the area has to be dug up to avoid damage.

In Mauli Jagran, when the staff of the Municipal Corporation made attempts to remove the handpumps installed on the water pipelines, residents gathered and did not allow work to be undertaken.