- विज्ञापन -
Ludhiana: During the hearing held on 31-07-2024 in matter pertaining to encroachments over Greenbelts at Lodhi Club Road and Old GT Road (from Jagraon Bridge to Sherpur Chowk), the tribunal by deprecating the strongest words on conduct of delay in providing the Development Plan (Master Plan) by Municipal Commissioner Ludhiana, has imposed cost of Rs. 1,00,000/- for obstructing the functioning of Tribunal and bodies constituted by it which has cost huge delay in proceedings.
Er. Kapil Arora, President, Council of Engineers informed that the Tribunal, after rejecting the report of the previous Joint Committee on 07-08-2023, had constituted a new committee consisting of members from the Environment Ministry, CPCB & PPCB outside Punjab to submit the report on the issue of encroachments over greenbelts by Lodhi Club, Convent School BRS Nagar at Lodhi Club Road and by MCL by constructing Library and Parking areas in Greenbelts at old GT Road.
The Committee had sent letter to MCL to provide the development plan but MCL failed in providing the plan. Accordingly, the Joint Committee submitted partial report on 09-01-2024 by mentioning the same. On 18-07-2024, taking cognizance, the Bench directed the Municipal Commissioner to appear before the Bench on 31-07-2024. After receiving the Map was on 24-07-2024, the Joint Committee filed a reply with request of further time of three months to submit the final report.
Er. Vikas Arora informed that the Municipal Commissioner appeared before the NGT and submitted that the Development Plan was provided to the Joint Committee on 30-04-2024, however, the Commissioner failed to give a satisfactory reply in delay of providing the plan by more than Five months. The Bench found conduct on the part of Municipal Commissioner as highly objectionable and deprecated the same in strongest words and also imposed a cost of Rs. 1,00,000/- for creating obstruction in the functioning of Tribunal and bodies constituted by it which has cost huge delay in proceedings and same was directed to be deposited with Registrar General within next 15 days.
The Bench further observed that despite receiving the Development Plan on 30-04-2024, the Joint Committee too is guilty of delaying proceedings and its demand of a further three months for submitting report is unreasonable and inclined to impose cost upon the Joint Committee also but taking a lenient view in the matter, the Bench directed the Joint Committee to submit report positively within one month failing which the Tribunal will be compelled to take stringent action against members of Committee. The next date of hearing is on 02-09-2024.
