Mohinder Aggarwal of Nav Bharat Radio and Electric Company, Ludhiana, who is also state secretary of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal.
Ludhiana, February 22, 2019: Many shopkeepers on Mata Rani Road, Ludhiana were surprised today when they were served summons to appear in a local Court on February 26, 2019 for replying to an allegation leveled against them under Section 246 of Punjab Municipal Corporation Act. Those who have been served summons included Nav Bharat Radio and Electric Company, Ludhiana.
In a statement issued here today, Mohinder Aggarwal of Nav Bharat Radio and Electric Company, Ludhiana, who is also state secretary of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal said after receiving summon today they contacted an official of Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana for seeking clarification. The official concerned told them that summons had been issued to shopkeepers who were found keeping goods on the roads. On being pointed out that they and many other shopkeepers like them never used to indulge into such acts the MC official said their names might have been appeared in the list of defaulters mistakenly.
Aggarwal said they were not against MC to act against shopkeepers indulging into the habit of placing goods outside their commercial premises but all shopkeepers should not be treated with a same yardstick. “It reminds an old Hindi proverb - Andheri nagri Chaupat raja”, remarked Aggarwal. He said a great resentment prevailed among a section of shopkeepers on Mata Rani Road.
Further, Aggarwal said they would be asking MC officials to prove its allegation in the court. Besides, they are going to file an application under the Right to Information Act for providing them sufficient proofs against allegations made by MC. He added they would be constrained to take suitable legal action against concerned MC official for maligning their image publicly for no fault of theirs.