The Indian Express   24.08.2012

Zirakpur to stop giving nod to illegal colonies

The Zirakpur Municipal Corporation – based on directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 2 – will no longer sanction any further plans for construction of unauthorised colonies in Zirakpur. An undertaking to this effect was given by the Zirakpur MC, on Thursday, before the high court. On the issue of illegal colonies, the Zirakpur authorities submitted that after preparation of Zirakpur's master plan, no illegal colony had been regularised and that there are no illegal colonies left in Zirakpur.

Last year, the Punjab department of local bodies had recommended the registration of criminal cases in as many as 16 cases of illegal development. In addition to this, registration of cases were also recommended under the Periphery Act and nine under the Punjab Apartment Act. The Zirakpur authorities gave an undertaking to the high court that effluent treatment plant and all other basic facilities to those residing in Zirakpur colonies will be made available by March 31, 2013.

Earlier, the high court had come down heavily on Zirakpur authorities for not providing basic amenities to Zirakpur residents. Recording the undertaking given by the authorities, the high court has disposed of the petition.

The court had taken suo motu notice of the situation in Zirakpur on the basis of a news item which had highlighted that a man was electrocuted in a bid to save his inverter from rainwater entering his house due to the non-effective sewage system.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Zirakpur MC said the state has decided to grant Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the widow of the deceased. The Court granted liberty to Advocate Saurabh, counsel for the widow, to file a petition before a competent court of law to claim ex-gratia and more compensation on account of negligence by the state authorities.