Corrupt nexus adds spunk to illegal colonization

LUDHIANA: With rapid urbanization, the need for more houses in the city has increased manifold, due to which, the business of illegal colonies has grown of late. In absence of proper knowledge about the Act regarding housing colonies, innocent people are falling prey to illegal colonizers, due to which, they often face problems later.
According to information, due to laxity of the civic body authorities, more than 216 undeclared colonies have cropped up in the city during the last few years.However, in absence of any knowledge about laws pertaining to colonization, people have constructed their houses in them despite the fact that these colonies do not have the required consent from authorities. They also lag behind when it comes to provision of required basic amenities including roads, water supply, sewerage and streetlights, thus inconveniencing people.
Over the last more than two decades, organizations like Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), constituted for developing housing colonies in the city, have been lying defunct. People in search of houses have been left with no option other than purchasing land from illegal colonizers. Availability of land in these colonies at low cost further lures people, resulting in their victimization at the hands of illegal colonizers. While residents of these colonies have often accused administrative officers of apathy towards their problems, officers, in turn, assert that the colonies being illegal, they could hardly do anything to improve the state of affairs therein.
Citing law provisions, officers claimed no development could be undertaken in these colonies unless colonizers paid the developmental charge for their regularization. Sufferings of the common man notwithstanding, money continues to be minted illegally as a fallout of a corrupt nexus of officers, politicians and colonizers. Such colonies are being carved out without the requisite sanction from planning authorities. Though a large number of complaints against the erring colonizers are pending at various levels in different departments, only a few FIRs have been lodged against them.
Consequently, the decision taken by many innocents- that of building their dream home in illegal colonies, ultimately goes phut, as they are driven to strive hard for facilities. In absence of the civic body’s approval to the site plans of their houses, a threat of stern action against illegal colonization looms large. However, mushrooming of a large number of illegal houses in every corner of the city certainly puts a question mark on working of the civic body officers.
A little vigilance on the part of people themselves before purchasing a plot or house in any colony could save them trouble in future. Before purchasing any flat or house, they could be checking whether the builder has obtained the required completion certificate from the civic body.
Likewise, it must be verified which authority has approved the building plan of the house. Another noteworthy aspect is whether the colony in which land is being purchased has government approval. Before purchasing any residential land, people must confirm whether streets in the colony have been carved out according to the town-planning scheme of state government. Apart from that, a close scrutiny of documents pertaining to the property to be purchased is in order.
AS Tuli, senior town planner (STP) of municipal corporation (MC), said people must verify facts relating to any colony before putting in their investment. He further said officers of building branch of the civic body are always ready to help people, adding that any query is welcome.
Senior deputy mayor Praveen Bansal said though people must be vigilant, on the other hand, MC officers could not shrug off their responsibility. “We would try to expose misdeeds of officers who have been hand in glove with illegal colonizers, resulting in victimization of public,” he added.
Official action
Though more than 216 illegal colonies have been carved out in the city, the number of FIRs against illegal colonizers has not even crossed 10% of the figure. In order to facilitate illegal colonizers, MC had undertaken developmental work without getting required sanction from state government. Owing to political pressure, action against an illegal colony at Gyaspura is hanging fire despite the fact that state government had sought report in this regard. Under pressure, officers have started a cover-up exercise to avoid any action against the illegal colony at Haibowal where more than 150 houses have been built. No action has been taken against an illegal colony near Issa Nagar despite the fact that a team of the vigilance cell has inspected the site
Town planning officials- Contact info
Post- Name of official- Phone number
Assistant chief administrator, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA)- Indu Malhotra- 9417022792
Municipal Town Planner (MTP)- Hemant Batra- 9815600786
Assistant Town Planner (ATP) zone A- HS Ghai- 9417459395
Assistant Town Planner (ATP) zone B- Kanwaljeet Kaur- 9780968870
Assistant Town Planner (ATP) zone C- Nirmaljeet Singh- 9815038393
Assistant Town Planner (ATP) zone D- SS Bindra- 9815187676
* What should buyers confirm?
* Whether the builder has obtained the required completion certificate from competent authority before selling the house.
* From which authority the building plan of the house has been approved.
* Whether the colony in which the plot is being purchased has the required approval of government.
* Whether the streets in the colony have been carved out according to the prescribed norms of the town-planning department of state government.
* Does the colony have proper facilities like streetlighting, water supply and sewerage system?