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.
