LUDHIANA: The municipal corporation's building branch officials, led by additional commissioner Kuldeep Singh, were pulled up by the municipal corporation commissioner AK Sinha during the Monday meeting for their failure to check illegal constructions in the city.

Sinha also bestowed on zonal commissioners the additional responsibility of preparing a list on the construction of new buildings and act against unauthorized structures. The officials would mention in the list whether the building plans had been approved or not and action taken against the defaulters.

Sources said action followed complaints regarding illegal buildings being constructed in various parts of the city and Kuldeep Singh's alleged inability to take action against their contractors. Buildings like 302-C in BRS Nagar, one in Sham Nagar, and Jamuna Colony in Haibowal were being constructed without seeking approval of their designs from the town planners. Meanwhile, as the meeting was convened suddenly, the building branch employees were seen busy preparing their files. The assistant town planners were updating the status of buildings in their areas to save their skin during the meeting. But they faced the commissioner's wrath, as they were unable to provide complete reports of the buildings of their areas.

AK Sinha said they handed over the additional charge of buildings to zonal commissioners who would compile lists of buildings-under- construction in their areas. He admitted that they received several complaints about construction of illegal colonies and so decided to conduct meetings every 15 days.