Chandigarh residents hit the roads with candles in hand

CHANDIGARH: Hundreds of residents of Sector 19 held candlelight protest on Wednesday evening against the anti-encroachment drive in the sector. The residents gathered outside the Arya Samarj Mandir of Sector 19 and with placards in their hand, they took a round of majority of the parts of the sector.

Former union minister and MP Harmohan Dhawan also joined the candlelight protest of the residents of Sector 19. He also assured the residents he will take up their issue before the UT administration.

A K Dadwal, president of Sector 19 resident welfare association said, “It is right that the MC has been obeying the orders of honourable high court but making the areas concrete by destroying the gardens will hamper the maintenance of the services, passing through the underground areas. It was the vision of the Le Corbusier to keep such areas green so that underground service can be maintained in proper manner. Various lines of the services are passing under these areas.”

“How can they remove such a beautiful greenery which people have done by spending huge money and time and moreover, it is not affecting anybody at all. The residents have done the fencing only for the security purpose and there is no other reason,” said Atul, a resident of Sector 19.

Another resident said that first the authority must be prepared itself, as they are completely ill prepared. They should have told us the exact violation that we have done and should also give time to us. But, we were not aware at all about the drive by the MC.