Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 30

A dhaba functioning under a newly raised structure comprising tin sheets and iron bars was removed today, two days after the Municipal Corporation issued a notice to its owner demanding a clarification about the structure.

More than a week ago, the MC was questioned regarding the alleged illegal running of the dhaba.

Officials of the Municipal Corporation said the land adjacent to the petrol pump at the Fountain Chowk belonged to a dera. They said they had issued a notice through the building branch to those running the business at the site demanding a clarification about the structure raised there and other activities.

Municipal Joint Commissioner (JC) Avikesh Gupta said: “We issued a notice to them on Friday. They are supposed to present all related facts before us. We have not removed the tin sheets and other structure, nor yet directed them to do so. They must be doing it on their own.”

Even a week after looking into the facts with the help of teams of the land and building branches, the Municipal Corporation officials were not clear whether the business was being run with its requisite permission. Gupta said: “We will check records for the same on Monday.”

Meanwhile, former mayor Amarinder Singh Bazaz said a number of illegal activities were going on in the city. “There was a rehri at the very site. Now, they had raised the new structure as the businessman is related to the ruling political party,” he added

He said: “Another illegal construction is going on at Ekta Vihar in the city but there was no check by municipal officials.”