High drama witnessed during demolition drive in Ludhiana

LUDHIANA: A high level drama was witnessed in Upkar Nagar on Tuesday during demolition drive carried out by the municipal Corporation Ludhiana when residents opposed the drive strongly.
The residents showed anger against MC officials for not taking action against an illegal building in area that belonged to Congress councillor and they came in area for demolishing pedestals where people had kept plants. However heated arguments and manhandling was witnessed at spot.
The civic officials claimed that it was in the contempt of high court directions that they had gone to remove the encroachments but people opposed the drive. The cops could not control the people who levelled allegation against Congress leader for constructing an illegal multi storey building in area and if people raised voice against him, he sent the MC officials for removing the pedestals. People alleged that officials of building branch were corrupt and instead of removing the encroachments at large scale they were busy in removing the ramps outside houses.
The residents tried to stop the officials from removing the ramps by sitting and standing in front of the JCB machine. The cops had to remove the protestors by pushing them backwards. The female residents alleged that there was no female cop involved in drive and male cops manhandled the ladies. However the situation turned tensed and heated arguments took place among the residents and officials. The officials claimed that they razed about a dozen illegal structures but at few locations the public tried to interfere. Hue and cry was raised in the area that invited the attention of commuters and nearby residents as well.
The assistant town planner Madanjit Bedi said there were around 35 encroachments in the area and they removed all despite public interference. He said they had served the notices earlier because they have to file reply in court in 15 days. He said MC commissioner has to be present in court for reply. He said they removed encroachments at road portion and the building about which people were complaining was regularised a long back and MC had collected Rs 20 lakh from the congress leader.