Probe inauguration of housing colony: MLA

LUDHIANA: The inauguration of a housing colony at Lalton village near the city has come under sharp criticism from the Congress.
In a press release issued on Monday, Qila Raipur MLA Jassi Khangura has pointed to an alleged personal interest of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in the inauguration of Crown Town Housing Colony Development on Pakhowal Road.Seeking a CBI inquiry into the issue, he has questioned how the promoters, including former MLA Jagdish Singh Garcha ? who happens to be close to the CM ? managed to issue advertisements and book plots allegedly without mandatory approval from GLADA.
Khangura alleged that GLADA had registered a complaint with Ludhiana police, asking them to register an FIR against the developers on August 28, but cops failed to act. Khangura said it was, therefore, necessary that an independent agency conduct the probe.
He further alleged that Badal was scheduled to inaugurate the colony on September 18 despite the fact that it was not approved. Subsequently, the inauguration was postponed to September 22. Khangura claimed that he had learnt that the authorities concerned, at the behest of Badal, had rushed through issuing license to colonizers without following norms.
When TOI contacted Garcha, somebody identifying himself as Singla refuted all charges and claimed they had legal formalities and due permission to carry out work.