Amritsar train tragedy: Municipal Corporation\, improvement trust pass the buck over permission

Amritsar train tragedy: Municipal Corporation, improvement trust pass the buck over permission

The AIT says that the MC is the controlling authority for the Dhobi Ghat land and hence it was responsible for providing the permission. At the same time, the MC has shot a letter to the AIT asking if it can sell the land, which have been handed over to it by the latter.

Written by KAMALDEEP SINGH BRAR | Amristar | Published: October 27, 2018 1:16:09 am
Amritsar train accident, train tragedy, Punjab train tragedy, Captain Amarinder Singh, Municipal Corporation Amritsar, Amritsar Improvement Trust, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Indian Express  Amritsar: The site of a railway accident near the venue of Dussehra festivities, at Joda Phatak (Source: PTI)

Who gave permission to hold the Dussehra event on Dhobi Ghat land near a railway track, during which at least 61 people were mowed down by a speeding train on October 19? Municipal Corporation (MC) Amritsar and Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) are passing the buck on to each other, claiming that the land doesn’t belong to them. The MC has told Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner B Purushartha, who is conducting a magisterial probe into the train accident as ordered by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, that the Dhobi Ghat land is owned by the AIT.

The AIT says that the MC is the controlling authority for the Dhobi Ghat land and hence it was responsible for providing the permission. At the same time, the MC has shot a letter to the AIT asking if it can sell the land, which have been handed over to it by the latter. Reacting to the reply of the MC, the AIT chairman has been summoned by Purushartha.

Responding to a query of The Indian Express, if the AIT was responsible for giving permission for the event, MC Commissioner Sonali Giri has said, “How can I comment on that? I can only say that during the inquiry, we were asked about the ownership of the the land. We checked the revenue record, which says that the land belongs to the AIT. The MC gives permission for any event only on its own land and not on others.” “We have also asked the AIT if we can sell the land if it is not their. Obviously, we cannot sell it. We have sought an explanation from them (AIT). We haven’t received any reply so far,” Giri has added.

She has further said there are many other schemes, which have been handed over by the AIT to the MC. “There are chunk of lands in such schemes, which the AIT is still selling. How can they sell these chunks if the lands belong to the MC,” she has questioned.

On the issue of giving permission for the event, Giri says they replied to specific questions. “We were asked if the permission was sought from us. We said no because we didn’t give any. Also we have no record from past that the MC ever had given any kind of permission for any kind of event on the Dhobi Ghat land.” On water and fire tender sent by the MC for the event, Giri says, “We had received a letter requesting us to send water tank and fire tender for the event. I was in Chandigarh on October 17. Even that letter for water tanker and fire tender was not processed. On top of it, no specific permission was sought for the event. If someone has not sought the permission, then how can we give it? At the same time, no written permission was given to send the water tanker and fire tender. One of our supervisors had got a call from the area councillor to send for the water tank and fire tender. That supervisor sent the fire tender and water tanker and neither the concerned XEN nor the SE was aware of it. They have already said it in the inquiry,” said Giri.

AIT Executive Officer Jeevan Kumar Bansal, contradicts, “How can the AIT be responsible for providing permission on the land, which is controlled by the MC? A total of 140 schemes have been handed over to the MC by the AIT. This Dhobi Ghat land was handed over to the MC in 1998. As per section 55 of Town Improvement Act, once a scheme is handed over to the MC, then all the open spaces rests with it. Also, the MC charges water supply and sewerage bill related to that land.” Giri, however, said, “We do not charge water and property tax from Dhobi Ghat land.” On the letter written by the MC to the AIT, Bansal denied receiving any such communication.

“The AIT had given permission for the Dussehra event on Ranjit Avenue land because that scheme is still not handed over to the MC. But Dhobi Ghat is with the MC for the last 20 years,” said Bansal.

He added AIT Chairman Ranjit Kaur had been summoned by the inquiry commission to appear on Thursday, but it was his off day. On the question asked by the MC, if it can sell the Dhobi Ghat land, Bansal said, “Dhobi Ghat is not just a chunk of land. It is a public amenity. How can you sell public amenity?”